Hermione and the Philosopher's Stone
by xxLaurenElizabethxx
Summary: Philosopher's Stone from Hermione Granger's POV.
1. Welcome to Hogwarts

Chapter 1: _Welcome to Hogwarts_  
Words: 4,873

Hermione Granger was still in disbelief of where she was headed. It was just past 11 o'clock on September 1, and she was on a train to a school for magic! She must be one of the luckiest people on earth. The scarlet steam engine was already on its way, hills and countryside whipping by the windows of the compartment she was sitting in. She had been joined by a boy named Neville Longbotom; he didn't know anyone either and asked Hermione if he could sit with her. She was happy to oblige, as he was the only one who seemed to want to sit with her. She was glad he hadn't come to her compartment right away, as she had changed into her robes immediately.

Around noon, a plump lady pushing a trolley came to their compartment and asked if they wanted any sweets or snacks. Both Hermione and Neville politely declined and spent a few minutes chatting about Hogwarts before Neville's face fell.

"Oh, no... I've lost Trevor," he lamented. Seeing Hermione's puzzled face, he added, "Trevor is the toad I brought."

"Well, he can't have gotten far. Let's go ask the different compartments." Hermione tried to sound positive; she felt bad about how dejected the boy sitting across from her looked. They each went separate ways, asking the different cars whether they had seen the toad. When they met up again, Hermione decided to go with Neville to the compartments she thought he missed to make absolutely sure Trevor wasn't there. They opened one of the compartment doors, revealing two boys; one with bright red hair, the other's jet black.

"Has anyone seen a toad?" I asked. "Neville's lost one."

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," the redheaded boy retorted, but Hermione wasn't listening. Her eyes were on the wand he held in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." Hermione said as she sat down.

"Er - all right," the redheaded boy said, clearing his throat.

" _Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,  
Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow_."

But nothing happened.

"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me," Hermione said. "Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" Hermione heard herself speaking very fast but couldn't stop herself. She saw the black-haired boy look at the redhead with a rather shocked look on his face.

"I'm Ron Weasley," the redhead muttered.

"Harry Potter," said the black-haired boy. The name sparked a memory in Hermione's brain - she had read about him in one of the books she had picked up for some background reading.

"Are you really?" She asked. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_."

"Am I?" Harry said in a rather faint voice.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," Hermione said, a little surprised that he didn't know how famous he was. "Do either of you know what House you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor; it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, I expect we'll be there soon." Without waiting for a reply, Hermione left the compartment, taking Neville with her to continue the search.

Even after the second sweep of the train, they went back to their compartment empty-handed. Hermione told Neville she was going to check with the conductor to see how close they were to Hogwarts, and returned with the news that they were almost there and should get ready to get off the train. Hermione left Neville to change into his robes and decided to walk around, irritated by all the students running up and down the corridors recklessly. When she neared the compartment where they had met Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, she heard a yell coming from it, followed by two large boys and a rather pale and skinny one leaving.

"What _has_ been going on?" The compartment was in disarray with sweets everywhere. Ron Weasley picked up a rat by the tail.

"I think he's been knocked out," he said to Harry, both of them looking at the animal. "No - I don't believe it - he's gone back to sleep." Ron shook his head. "You've met Malfoy before?"

"Yeah... I met him in Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley." Harry went on to explain their not-so-friendly interaction.

"I've heard of his family," Ron said with a low voice. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side. Can we help you with something?" He added, turning towards Hermione.

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," Ron said defiantly. Hermione assumed that Scabbers was the rat he had in his lap. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors. And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?" She had just noticed the dark spot on Ron's face as she spoke.

As Hermione went back to her compartment for the last time, she heard the conductor over the train speakers: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." Hermione's heart skipped a beat - they were almost there! She had been dreaming about this ever since the woman called Professor McGonagall had arrived at her parents' house to deliver her letter and explain what Hogwarts was.

As the train finally came to a stop, all the students crammed themselves into the corridors, making it nearly impossible to move around, let alone get off. Hermione struggled her way through with Neville and managed to get onto a small, dark platform, shivering slightly in the cool air. When she looked up, there was a lamp bobbing towards the squashed students, held in an enormous hand.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" There was a giant man beckoning the first years towards him; Hermione raised her eyebrows at the mention of Harry's name - somehow they must know each other - and followed him, Neville right next to her. He seemed scared to leave her side and sniffled from the cold as the giant man led them down a very dark and narrow pathway. "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the man called, "just' round this bend here."

There was a collective "Oooooh!" from the group as the path opened to the edge of a monstrous lake. There were small, sparkling windows on tall turrets and towers belonging to a castle that was perched on the side of the mountain. Hermione had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life; she was breathless with anticipation now.

"No more'n four to a boat!" The man called, gesturing to a small fleet of boats that Hermione guessed were there to take the first years across the lake and to the castle. She found herself in one with Neville, following Ron and Harry in their boat. She heard others clamoring to get into the ones behind them, and after a few moments, it was quiet. "Everyone in?" Came the giant man's voice. "Right then - FORWARD!"

Suddenly, all the boats all took off at once, gliding across the glassy surface of the giant lake; the castle became even larger as they neared the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" The giant called as they finally reached the cliff; they all lowered their heads as they passed through an ivy curtain that hid the wide opening of the cliff face, leading them through a dark tunnel. Hermione assumed they were passing underneath the castle; the other way didn't seem to have an entrance. Once they reached the small harbor, the students got out of the boats and scrambled up out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" The giant called, still helping students out of their boats.

"Trevor!" Neville cried, happily holding out his hands. Once the boats were empty, they climbed a passageway, following the giant's lantern and finally coming out onto the wet grass in front of the castle. They walked up a huge set of stone steps and came to a giant oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" The man asked Neville before turning and knocking on the door three times. It opened at once, revealing a tall, black-haired witch with very green robes. It was McGonagall! She was even wearing the same robes that she had when she'd come to tell her and her parents about Hogwarts. Hermione was rather glad to see her. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." So the giant man's name was Hagrid. Hermione would have to remember that. McGonagall pulled the door open and revealed the entrance hall, the stone walls lit with torches that flickered off the marble staircase but not the ceiling, which was too high to make out. Although Hermione could hear voices, the Professor steered them into a small chamber instead.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room." She paused. "The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points and any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

Some of the students shuffled around, clearly nervous.

McGonagall continued, "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." At this, some students began to shuffle around, tucking shirts in and straightening robes.

"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." With that, she left the chamber. Hermione began to run through all the spells she had already learned in her head, wondering which one she would need. She felt glad she was prepared already. She couldn't help but overhear some of the students fretting.

"How exactly do they sort us into Houses?" She heard Harry ask.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Ron didn't sound too certain to Hermione, however. She didn't even realize she was muttering under her breath about all the spells she thought she might need.

All of a sudden, several people screamed.

"What the - ?"

Twenty or so ghosts had just drifted through the walls, floating up above their heads. Hermione stopped muttering; though she knew Hogwarts had ghosts, it was still quite a shock to see them in person for the first time. It kind of sounded like they were arguing. A small, fat monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say what are you all doing here?"

The ghost speaking had a ruff and tights and had also just noticed the first-years. Nobody seemed to know how to answer.

"New students!" The monk cried, smiling at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" Some of them nodded silently in response. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old House, you know."

Hermione caught a swirl of green out of the corner of her eye; it was McGonagall, coming back for them. The ceremony must be about to start!

"Move along now," she said sharply, "the Sorting Ceremony is about to start." The ghosts disappeared back through the wall. "Now, form a line and follow me." She led the first years through the hall and a pair of huge double doors into the Great Hall.

Hermione was awestruck. The hall was lit by thousands of candles floating in midair over four long tables holding glittering goblets and plates. In front of them, facing the rest of the students, was a long table full of teachers, in front of which McGonagall stopped the new students. When they stopped, Hermione looked up at the ceiling - but it didn't look like a ceiling. It was littered with stars and looked like the hall simply opened up into the night sky.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," Hermione whispered excitedly to Neville. "I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History_."

Hermione's attention focused back on Professor McGonagall when she brought out a four-legged stool and placed an old, frayed hat on top of it. Hermione was just wondering if it was going to do anything when it opened at the brim and began to sing:

" _Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song; Hermione joined in, smiling. This was going to be much easier than performing a spell!

"So we've just got to try on the hat! I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll," she heard Ron whisper to Harry. She rolled her eyes. There was no way the staff would let first-years take on a troll!

Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a roll of parchment in her hand. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." She looked at the list. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A small blonde girl with pigtails stumbled up to the stool and put the hat on her head. Hermione was only able to glimpse her pink face for a second before the hat fell over her eyes.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted after a moment's pause. The table on the right erupted in applause as she went to join them.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat called; now it was the table on the left that applauded as Terry joined them; some even rose to shake his hand.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brown, Lavender!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The other table on the left sounded like it exploded; there was clapping and whistling and Hermione even saw two boys that looked sort of like Ron catcalling. She tutted; didn't they have any common decency?

"Bullstrode, Millicent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The table of green-and-silver-clad students clapped politely, but there wasn't the over-enthusiastic greeting that the other first-years had gotten. Hermione wondered for a second what it would be like in that house, but shook her head. She didn't belong there, and she knew it.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione's heart skipped a beat as she ran up to the stool and jammed the hat on her head. It was finally her turn! The hat didn't call out a House right away though...

"Where to put you... I think you would do well in Ravenclaw, with brains like yours... but then there's courage too, and what a streak of loyalty..." Hermione bit her lip, hoping that it would choose -

"GRYFFINDOR!"

She bounced happily off towards the Gryffindor table, feeling herself blush as they applauded and whistled at her.

"Longbottom, Neville!"

The hat took a while to decide where to put Neville. Hermione wondered if it was talking to him like it did to her, and where he would end up.

"GRYFFINDOR!" It finally shouted and Neville ran to join the table, still wearing the hat on his head. He had to run back up to hand it off to "Malfoy, Draco."

The second the hat touched Malfoy's head it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" The pale blond boy swaggered off to join the table, looking quite pleased with himself. Hermione tuned out for a moment, taking some time to look around the hall and appreciate the place where she would now be spending quite a bit of time eating, drinking, and hopefully making friends. There was one name that caught her attention, however.

"Potter, Harry!"

The hall went deadly quiet, students from every table craning their necks to get a better look at the famous Harry Potter. Slowly, whispers began to come from each of the tables; it sounded almost like the hall was full of hissing.

" _Potter_ , did she say?"

" _The_ Harry Potter?"

Hermione felt a little bad for him as she watched him make his way to the four-legged stool. It took the hat quite a while after he put it on; she wondered what it was telling him, whispering in his ear like it did to her. After what seemed like years, the hat finally opened its brim wide and said: "GRYFFINDOR!"

The table Hermione was sitting at absolutely exploded. Every single student was clapping and howling as Harry made his way to join them. Hermione thought he looked very pale. One of the prefects stood up and shook his hand and the two redheads that whistled at Lavender Brown were chanting, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

Once the tumultuous noise had subsided, Hermione noticed that there were only four people left to be sorted.

"Thomas, Dean!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Turpin, Lisa!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Weasley, Ronald!"

It was the other boy that Hermione had met on the Hogwarts Express's turn to be sorted. She noticed that he was a rather delicate shade of green as he made his way to the stool and tried the hat on. It didn't take long for it to decide.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The redheaded twins and the prefect that had shaken Harry's hand all applauded loudly; Hermione guessed that they were all related. It would make sense that family members were sorted into the same house. She watched as he came over and sat down next to Harry, looking relieved.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," the prefect said as "Zabini, Blaise!" was called by McGonagall.

"SLYTHERIN!"

With the final student sorted, McGonagall picked up the stool and hat and left the hall. A silver-bearded wizard stood up at the teachers' table; Hermione knew this to be Albus Dumbledore - she had read all about him in her books over the summer.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" He smiled out at the students. "Thank you!"

And he sat down. Everyone applauded and cheered, but Hermione was unsure of what he meant. She heard Harry ask the prefect if the headmaster was mad, and she listened for the older boy's answer.

"Mad? He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

Hermione looked down at the table, which was now full of roast beef and chicken, pork and lamb chops, bacon, sausages, all kinds of potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, and peppermint humbugs. Her stomach growled; she hadn't realized just how hungry she was, and piled food onto her plate. Everything was delicious!

"That does look good," the ghost with the ruff that they had heard speaking earlier said, a rather sad look on his face.

Hermione noticed the guilty look on Harry's face. "Can't you - ?"

"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years. I don't need to, of course," the ghost said, puffing his chest out slightly, "but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" Ron burst out. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

Hermione didn't say anything but thought Ron was being quite rude. It didn't seem to be a nickname that Sir Nicholas liked either.

"I would _prefer_ you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" he began, but was interrupted by a student whose name Hermione had temporarily forgotten.

" _Nearly_ headless?" he asked bluntly. "How can you be _nearly_ headless?"

"Like _this_ ," Sir Nicholas said, clearly not happy with the direction their conversation had gone. He grabbed his left ear and gave it a tug; his head swung off of his shoulders but didn't come cleanly away - someone had obviously tried to cut it off properly but not done a good job of it. He did look pleased at all the shocked faces of the first-years and bumped his head back on before speaking again. "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the House Championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."

Hermione turned back to her food, polishing off her plate and then awkwardly looking around before getting into a conversation about classes with the prefect, whose name was Percy. He was one of Ron's older brothers and seemed to think along the same lines as Hermione.

"I _do_ hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult - "

"You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing," Percy the Prefect said. "It is one of the more interesting subjects, however... what is it?" Percy turned to Harry, who had just exclaimed in pain.

"N-nothing." He rubbed his forehead and then asked, "Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?"

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Hermione felt a little uncomfortable learning that information. Why give a subject to a teacher that didn't want to teach it? And why was he not allowed the Defense Against the Dark Arts position anyway? There must have been a good reason for Dumbledore to have put him where he was...

"Ahem -" Dumbledore said, getting to his feet. "Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the Forbidden Forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Hermione noticed the redheaded twins - Fred and George, Percy had said their names were - exchanged grins. Dumbledore continued.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Some students laughed; Hermione didn't think that the headmaster would joke about such a serious thing. She snorted in disbelief of their childish actions and just managed to catch Percy whispering something to Harry.

"Must be. It's odd ,because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore seemed quite happy about this, but the rest of the teachers seemed to stiffen in their seats. The headmaster flicked his wand and a long, golden ribbon flew out of it and formed into words above the tables. "Everyone pick their favorite tune, and off we go!"

" _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot."_

Hermione thought it sounded rather horrible with the mix of different tunes... she noticed Fred and George had finished last, singing a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore was one of the few who applauded once the school had finished.

"Ah, music... a magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Percy the Prefect lead the first-years up the marble staircase, through corridors hidden behind moving panels and tapestries, and up more staircases to find the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was quite exhausted at this point and wasn't paying too much attention and nearly walked into someone as they came to a sudden halt.

"Peeves," Percy the Prefect said to a floating bundle of walking sticks above them. They began to throw themselves at him. "A poltergeist," he offered as an explanation. "Peeves, show yourself."

There was a sound like the air being let out of a balloon, but nothing else happened.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

With a _pop_!, a little man with dark eyes glittering with mischief and a wide mouth appeared; he was sitting cross-legged and clutching the walking sticks in his lap.

"Oooooooh, Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He cackled and swooped suddenly at them, forcing the students to duck.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!"

Peeves blew a raspberry and vanished, letting the walking sticks hit Neville on the head. As he zoomed away, he rattled the coats of armor lining the corridor.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," Percy warned as he began to walk again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

They had come to a portrait of a large woman in a pink silk dress. Hermione guessed that she guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor common room and dormitories.

"Password?"

"Caput Draconis," Percy the Prefect said confidently and the portrait swung forward, revealing a warm, round room full of squashy armchairs. Percy showed the boys and girls their respective dormitories and Hermione was only too glad to sink onto her four-poster bed and fall asleep after grabbing _Hogwarts, A History_ for her bedside table, just in case.


	2. Unwanted Adventure

Chapter 2: _Unwanted Adventure_  
Words: 5,053  
Total Words: 9,926

Lessons were Hermione's favorite part of the day. Professor McGonagall was probably one of her favorite professors, and she always worked hard in Transfiguration to earn points for Gryffindor and to get the spells right. Charms was a fun subject too; tiny Professor Flitwick was always kind and had fun things for them to work on, and he always gave out points freely when students were doing well and working hard. While most students seemed to be bored into a stupor in Professor Binns's class (History of Magic), Hermione paid close attention; learning about all the things that had gone on in magical history had been much more interesting than the Muggle schools she had attended. The only class that she was a little nervous about was Potions... Professor Snape, the Potions Master, wasn't very friendly at all and no matter how hard she worked, he didn't seem to warm up to her.

She was also just getting used to the castle; with all of its moving staircases and trick steps and walls that pretended to be doors, it had almost made her late for class a few times. Hermione counted it as a blessing that she liked to leave so early.

In her first Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall had given the class a small speech before they began.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Hermione had nearly jumped out of her skin with excitement as she turned her desk into a pig and back again, but McGonagall said they were going to start much smaller and gave them all matches to turn into needles. Hermione took notes and was the only person in the class who managed to get hers to turn all pointy and silver; she earned a rare smile from the Professor and spent the rest of the day beaming.

Her first Potions lesson hadn't gone quite as well.

"Ah, yes... Harry Potter. Our new - _celebrity_." Professor Snape had said as he started class. He went through the roster, calling every student's name, and when he finished, he, too, gave a small speech to the class.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." He spoke in barely a whisper and Hermione found herself on the edge of her seat. She was absolutely determined to prove to him she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" Professor Snape barked, making the class jump, "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air - this was an easy question. They helped make the Draught of Living Death; she had read it in her textbook over the summer.

"I don't know, sir," Harry replied. Professor Snape sneered at him, ignoring Hermione completey.

"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything. Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Although her hand was already raised, Hermione tried to raise it higher. Another easy question; it was a stone in the stomach of a goat! She was quite glad she had read her books before term had begun.

"I don't know, sir," came Harry's answer.

Still ignoring Hermione blatanly, Professor Snape became colder.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"

Hermione thought this was quite unfair; she was prepared to answer his questions and didn't understand why the Professor was being so mean to Harry.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

This time Hermione actually stood up, her hand shaking slightly from the effort of holding it up. Monkshood and wolfsbane were the same thing - it was a trick question!

"I don't know," Harry's voice had become very quiet. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

Some people laughed; Hermione rather appreciated him pointing her out - after all, she just wanted to answer the questions and perhaps earn some House points - but this seemed to only make Professor Snape more irritated.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

The students that hadn't had their quills and parchment out at the beginning of class quickly scrambled to get them ready, taking notes on Professor Snape's short lecture.

"And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

The fact that he had taken points from Gryffindor because Harry didn't know the answers struck Hermione as annoying and odd; no other teacher treated him so poorly. Perhaps he just didn't like Gryffindors... but Hermione guessed that there was more to it than that. Professor Snape set them to work on a basic cure for boils and swept menacingly about the dungeon as the students weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs. All of a sudden, green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon; Neville had managed to melt Seamus's cauldron and now the potion was spreading across the floor, burning holes in people's shoes as it went. The whole class quickly jumped up onto their stools, trying to avoid it while Neville moaned in pain - there were angry red boils springing up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" Snape spat angrily, clearing away the potion with his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Now boils were popping up on Neville's nose and he whimpered in pain and fear.

"Take him to the hospital wing," Professor Snape said to Seamus, clearly in a worse mood than before. He rounded on Harry and Ron. "You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Hermione thought this was quite unfair, but didn't say anything for fear of provoking the Professor to take more points away. She waited until Potions was over, roughly an hour later, before hurrying out of the dungeon, eager to get away from the Potions Master and his love for taking points from her House.

...

One morning at breakfast, Hermione got her copy of the _Daily Prophet_. Ever since she had learned about the wizarding newspaper, she had asked her parents if they would allow her to get a subscription so she knew what was going on in the magical world. As she combed through the paper, an article caught her attention:

 **Gringotts Break-In Latest  
** Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.  
Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.  
"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.

Hermione couldn't believe it - Gringotts was said to be the safest place to keep anything you needed. How could someone just break in and take something so easily? She recalled when she had visited with her parents and seen the poem on the front door:

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed  
Of what awaits the sin of greed,  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
So if you seek beneath our floors  
A treasure that was never yours,  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
Of finding more than treasure there._

With a shudder at the thought of what kinds of protection that bank had, Hermione turned back to her breakfast, folding the paper back up and tucking it in her bag. She thought the article was quite interesting and spent the rest of the morning wondering what had been taken so easily from such a well-guarded place.

...

If she was being completely honest, Hermione was not looking forward to her first flying lesson. It would be both the Gryffindors and Slytherins, and she wasn't sure about flying in the first place, let alone trying to do it in front of all these people. It was one of the few subjects that she didn't feel wholly confident in.

Their first lesson took place on the grounds opposite the Forbidden Forest, which looked menacing as always. The Slytherins had already gathered by the broomsticks laying in neat lines on the ground when the Gryffindors got there. Madam Hooch was their teacher; she had short grey hair and sharp yellow eyes - Hermione thought she looked rather hawk-like. No wonder she was in charge of all things that had to do with being airborne.

"Well, what are you all waiting for? Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." She had a crisp, no-nonsense voice. "Stick your hand over the broom and say, 'Up!'"

"UP!" Came the shouts of twenty or so students. Hermione's broom simply rolled over on the ground and she looked sideways to see that Harry Potter had been one of a very few number of students that had managed to get his broom to come to him.

"All right. When you mount a broom, you keep a firm grip on the front like this - " Madam Hooch demonstrated with her broom - "and don't let go." She went around the group and corrected everyone's grip; Hermione found some satisfaction in her telling Malfoy, who had been bragging about how much he had flown, that he had been doing it wrong for years. Once everyone had a proper grip, she went back to the front of the group and faced them.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two - "

The whole class looked as Neville, who had been nervous and jumpy, kicked off before Madam Hooch had whistled.

"Come back, boy!" She yelled at him, but Neville had already shot up twelve feet - twenty feet - he couldn't seem to get control, and his white face stared down at the students below. All of a sudden, he gasped, slipped sideways, and fell off of the broom, which drifted lazily towards the angry-looking forest. Madam Hooch was immediately by Neville's side, her face almost as white as his, and looking at his arm.

"Broken wrist... come on, boy - it's all right, up you get." She helped Neville stand and then turned back to the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say, 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville's face was streaked with tears now and he hobbled off with the help of Madam Hooch. Once they were out of sight, Malfoy began to laugh.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" He said, the other Slytherins joining in his laughter now.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Parvati Patil snapped. Hermione was grateful that she had said something. There was no need for Malfoy to be so rude and insensitive.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" Pansy Parkinson, a rather pug-faced Slytherin girl called. "Never thought _you'd_ like fat little cry-babies, Parvati."

"Look! It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." He reached for the Rememberall that Neville had gotten earlier. It glittered and gleamed in the sunshine.

Suddenly, Harry spoke up. "Give it here, Malfoy." The whole class froze, watching what was going to happen next.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up a tree?" Malfoy smirked and mounted his broomstick - Hermione was displeased to see that he wasn't entirely lying when he said he could fly.

"Give it _here_!" Harry yelld at him.

"Come and get it, Potter!" Malfoy taunted him. Hermione saw Harry grip his broom and she gripped Harry's arm.

"No! Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all into trouble." She didn't think he would put the rest of the House at risk by doing something so foolish. Malfoy wasn't worth it. But Harry ignored her. She watched with a rather disgusted look on her face as he mounted his broom and kicked off. He seemed to be enjoying himself. Hermione hoped that none of the professors were watching, otherwise they could get all their points taken away.

"Give it here," she heard Harry say to Malfoy, who looked a little uncomfortable that Harry had taken the bait, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

 _Now, really,_ Hermione thought. That was just going to get them in more trouble!

"Oh yeah?" Malfoy answered. Although Hermione couldn't see his face very well, it didn't look like he was feeling as cocky as he had been before. She watched anxiously as Harry suddenly sped towards Malfoy, who just managed to get out of the way in time.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy!" Harry taunted.

"Catch it if you can, then!" Malfoy finally called, throwing the glass ball into the air and making his way back down to solid ground as quickly as he could.

The entire class watched with bated breath as Harry leaned forward and began to dive - he was gathering speed - and then he pulled out just in time to fall onto the grass, the Rememberall clutched in his hand.

"HARRY POTTER!" A voice echoed across the grounds; Hermione's heart sank. They were in for it! It was Professor McGonagall and she looked shaken. She was running towards the students and reached them as Harry got to his feet. Hermione noticed that he was shaking slightly. " _Never_ \- in all my time at Hogwarts - "

The professor seemed almost speechless as she spoke. " - how _dare_ you - might have broken your neck - "

"It wasn't his fault, professor - "

"Be quiet, Miss Patil - "

"But Malfoy - "

"That's _enough_ , Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

Hermione wasn't happy to see Harry get in trouble, but the worst part was Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle looking so elated that they had possibly gotten him expelled. The class watched as he was marched up to the castle, looking quite dejected.

...

Later on that day, there were rumors flying around that not only did Harry Potter _not_ get expelled, but he was put onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team! Hermione refused to believe this. She couldn't imagine a teacher not punishing a student for blatant disobedience, and was honestly surprised when she saw Harry at dinner, sitting with that Ron Weasley and whispering. As she filled her plate, she saw the red-headed twins - Fred and George - make their way over to him and seemingly congratulate him. Maybe there was something to those rumors, after all.

Hermione was about halfway through her dinner when the twins left and were replaced with Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. _Oh, this isn't going to go well..._ she thought, straining to listen in to what they were saying.

"Having a last meal, Potter?" She heard him say. "When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you."

"I'd take you anytime on my own. Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

 _Oh, no, that's going to get them in so much trouble if they accept._ Hermione frowned. She had read about duels in her books - they usually ended with one of the parties dying. While Malfoy and Harry weren't fully-fledged wizards yet, they could possibly do some damage if a spell went wrong.

"Of course he has," she heard Ron retort, yanking her out of her thoughts. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked at his two "friends," clearly sizing them up. Hermione did not like where this was going. Someone had to stop them...

"Crabbe. Midnight, all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle left. Harry turned to Ron, a rather puzzled look on his face.

"What _is_ a wizard's duel? And what do you mean, you're my second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die - but people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

So Ron understood how dangerous this could be and was still going to let Harry go through with it? _They're absolutely mad!_ Hermione thought to herself. _And they'll lose us our points and the House Cup on top of it. I have to say something._

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose." At this suggestion, Hermione felt she had to intervene.

"Excuse me?"

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" Ron said, looking sour. Hermione, though she thought this was quite rude, decided to ignore it.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying - " she began.

"Bet you could," Ron muttered; she ignored this too.

" - and you _mustn't_ go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's very selfish of you."

Harry snapped, "And it's really none of your business."

"Good-bye," Ron added as they both got up and left Hermione to finish her meal by herself.

...

Hermione spent the rest of the day finishing up some of her homework and thinking of a way to stop Harry and Ron from doing something incredibly stupid. So many things could go wrong; it would be a miracle if the two of them escaped detention, expulsion, or even worse. When the rest of the Gryffindors had gone to bed, Hermione stayed up and waited, sitting in one of the squashy armchairs. She kept the light off so they wouldn't notice her immediately, hoping she was wrong and that they would re-think their decision. They didn't. Hermione heard them trying to quietly creep out around half-past eleven.

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry," she said sadly, turning on the light beside her.

" _You_!" Ron said; he sounded incredulous. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother. Percy - he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this." She was telling the truth. Percy had been one of many options that had swirled through her head earlier that afternoon.

"Come on," Harry told Ron, clearly not going to listen to Hermione's protests. They climbed through the portrait hole; Hermione followed, infuriated now.

"Don't you _care_ about Gryffindor, do you _only_ care about yourselves, _I_ don't want Slytherin to win the House Cup, and you'll lose all the pointes I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about switching spells."

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so - "

But she was cut short. As she had turned around to go back into Gryffindor Tower, she realized that the Fat Lady had taken a nighttime stroll and was no longer in her portrait. That meant she was locked out.

"Now what am I going to do?" She cried, now more upset than ever.

"That's your problem. We've got to go, we're going to be late." Ron beckoned Harry along and Hermione watched them go, debating on what to do next. If she waited until the Fat Lady got back, she ran the risk of being caught. But if she went with them, she would also run the risk of being caught. But staying still seemed like the worse of the two ideas; at least if she tagged along, there was a chance of escape. Maybe Malfoy wouldn't even show up and they would all head back soon and be in bed before they were missed! She decided to follow them, catching up with Harry and Ron as they reached the end of the corridor.

"I'm coming with you."

"You are _not_."

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up." It sounded like a good plan to her.

"You've got some nerve - " Ron began heatedly, but Harry interrupted.

"Shut up, both of you! I heard something."

There was a sort of snuffling, almost like a soft snore.

"Mrs. Norris?" Ron asked quietly, not daring to speak any louder.

When the three of them came closer to the noise, they realized it wasn't Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, but Neville. He was asleep on the floor, curled up into a ball. He jerked awake.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get into bed." Hermione had never felt so bad for someone as she listened. Poor Neville.

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig Snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"How's your arm?" Harry asked.

"Fine. Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute." Neville showed off his completely healed wrist.

"Good - well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later - "

"Don't leave me! I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already." Neville scrambled to his feet and spoke with a shaking voice. Ron looked at his watch and gave both Neville and Hermione a furious look.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione was about to tell Ron that the Curse was just to give someone a cold and what the incantation was when Harry shushed her and ushered them all forward. They made their way through the halls and to the third floor, finally entering the trophy room, but Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. The moonlight made the crystal cups, shields, and statues glitter and shine but it remained empty, though the four of them waited for a long while.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron said, sounding hopeful.

All of a sudden, there was a noise in the next room; they all jumped as they heard a voice speak, and it wasn't Malfoy.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

It was Filch.

They all made a mad dash for the door, Neville barely making it around the corner before Filch was in the room where they just occupied. Hermione knew he had Mrs. Norris with him and hoped that she hadn't caught any of their scents in time. Otherwise they were all doomed.

"They're in here somewhere... probably hiding." It sounded like Filch was getting nearer. Harry moved them along a gallery filled with suits of armor; Neville tripped suddenly and grabbed Ron around the waist. Hermione watched in horror as the two fell right into one of the suits, making a ruckus loud enough to wake the entire castle.

"RUN!" Harry yelled to them; they all began to sprint down the gallery and followed him through one corridor after another, finally coming through a tapestry near the Charms classroom. They all paused, breathing hard and trying to calm their racing heartbeats. "I think we've lost him." Harry finally panted.

"I - _told_ \- you," Hermione could barely get the words out through the stitch in her chest. "I - told - you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor Tower, quickly as possible." Ron, too, was having trouble breathing, but Hermione agreed with him. She wished she had never left it in the first place. Tonight wasn't worth all this trouble.

"Malfoy tricked you. You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off." This irritated her even more than she already was. Neither Harry nor Ron answered her.

"Let's go."

They had just begun to walk back when a doorknob rattled and something shot out in front of them; the only thing that could make their predicament worse: Peeves. He squealed with joy at finding four students out of bed, and Hermione's heart sank.

"Shut up, Peeves - please - you'll get us thrown out."

But Peeves just cackled. "Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."

"Should tell Filch, I should. It's for your own good, you know." Peeves's eyes seemed to glitter. Hermione wasn't sure what to do; they couldn't be in much worse of a spot.

"Get out of the way!" Ron said, taking a swipe at Peeves. Hermione wished she had stopped him just a second later.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!" Peeves yelled as loudly as he could manage. They all made a run for it, sprinting until they ran into the door at the end of the corridor; it was locked.

"This is it! We're done for! This is the end!" Ron sounded close to hysteria, but Hermione wasn't about to get thrown out. She heard Filch's footsteps getting closer and knew she had to act quickly.

"Oh, move over," she snapped; grabbing Harry's wand, she tapped the lock and muttered, " _Alohamora_." The door swung open immediately. They all slid through and then pressed their ears to the door, trying to hear what was going on outside.

"Which way did they go, Peeves? Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now _where did they go_?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please." Peeves sounded like he was quite enjoying himself.

"All right - _please_." Filch sounded quite angry.

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you don't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" Filch cursed as Peeves whooshed away; there was a collective exhale of relief from the four standing behind the door. They seemed to be okay.

"He thinks this door is locked. I think we'll be okay - get _off_ , Neville!" Harry said; Neville had been tugging on his sleeve for the past minute. " _What_?"

They all turned and saw exactly what Neville was so worried about. They weren't as safe as they thought they were. They were in the forbidden third-floor corridor; and it was now quite apparent why it was forbidden.

There was a giant three-headed dog staring at them with six rolling, crazy eyes; three noses, twitching and sniffing in their direction; three mouths packed with rows of sharp, yellow teeth. The only reason they weren't dead yet, Hermione surmised, was that they had shocked it just as much as it was shocking them now. But her eyes trailed downward and saw that it wasn't just standing on a floor...

All of a sudden, they were on the floor outside of the door. Harry had opened it and now the four of them gathered their wits about them and took off down the corridor, barely realizing where they were going until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady once more.

"Where on earth have you all been?" She asked, eyeing them all suspiciously.

"Never mind that - pig snout, pig snout," Harry gasped at her; they all scrambled back into the safety of the common room, catching their breath and sitting down in the squashy armchairs. Neville looked as pale as the House ghosts and the rest of them stayed in a kind of shocked silence for a few moments... and then Ron spoke.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" He sounded angry. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

Hermione couldn't believe that they hadn't noticed what it was standing on. Didn't any of them pay attention?

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you? Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry said, much to Hermione's irritation. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No, _not_ the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She stood up. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

She made her way to the girls' dormitory, quite glad to be rid of the three boys and done with that night. It had been too much of an adventure for her and she was very glad they hadn't ended up in trouble or on the train home. She wished they hadn't stumbled into the forbidden corridor, however; now her mind kept swirling around what that giant dog could possibly be guarding...


	3. Halloween

Chapter 3: _Halloween_  
Words: 2,016  
Total Words: 11,942

Hermione spent the next morning avoiding Harry, Ron, and Neville, too, just for good measure. She refused to speak to them either, and had pushed both the dog and the trapdoor from her mind completely, preferring to focus on her studies.

Her silence was really tested, however, when she saw six owls carrying a long, thin package to Harry. It looked like it was a broomstick, and she knew first-years weren't allowed to have them. She didn't have a chance at the table to say anything, however; the two boys left excitedly, presumably to go to Gryffindor tower and open it. She finished her breakfast and began to head back to the tower to do some extra homework.

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" She said once she had caught up with Harry and Ron. She eyed the package disapprovingly.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" Harry said. Hermione felt herself go slightly pink.

"Yes, don't stop now, it's doing us so much good." Ron chimed in. Hermione walked away, going up to the girls' dormitories to bury her nose in _Quidditch Through the Ages_ , a book she had just borrowed from the library. Although she wasn't particularly a sports fan, she was enjoying learning about the rules and the history of the game.

...

Halloween came up frighteningly fast. Between classes and homework, Hermione had hardly noticed how fast the time was going. She also realized that she hadn't written to her parents yet so that morning before class, she sat down to write a letter.

 _Dear Mum and Dad,_

 _I love it here at Hogwarts. I'm learning so much! Professor Flitwick, our Charms teacher, has finally said we can start learning how to make objects fly - this is something that I've been looking forward to since I read about it over the summer. I'm very glad I memorized all of our books; it has helped me do well in all of my classes. All of my teachers like me, except Professor Snape (he's the Potions Master,) but he doesn't seem to like anyone from my House._

 _I don't have much time since I'm about to go to Charms, but I'll write again soon! I hope you two are doing well and enjoying yourselves._

 _Love from,  
Hermione_

She barely had time to dash up to the owlery and send her letter before class started and made it just in time for Professor Flitwick to begin speaking.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing! Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Much to Hermione's chagrin, she and Ron were paired up at the same table to work on the spell. Ron wasn't doing much better than the rest of the class; nobody seemed to quite get the hang of it.

" _Wingardium Leviosa_!" He shouted at the feather they were supposed to be working with, waving his arms wildly. Hermione frowned.

"You're saying it wrong. It's Wing- _gar_ -dium Levi- _o_ -sa, make the 'gar' nice and long." She said snappishly.

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron shot back. Hermione straightened up in her seat, rolled her sleeves back, and held her wand up.

" _Wingardium Leviosa_!" She cried. The feather rose off of the desk and hovered several feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done! Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!" Professor Flitwick said happily, clapping his hands. It did nothing to improve Ron's mood and he was in a temper by the end of the class. As they all packed up and made their way through the crowded corridor, Hermione overheard Ron speaking to Harry.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her. She's a nightmare, honestly."

Tears prickling her eyes, Hermione pushed past them, accidentally knocking into Harry but not stopping to apologize or acknowledge him. She just wanted some peace and quiet, and maybe a good cry. She was just trying to help and didn't understand how they didn't see that. She found herself in the girls' bathroom and locked herself in a stall, finally letting the tears flow freely. She didn't have any friends to care whether she was gone or not either, so she decided to skip the next class and wait to return until she felt better.

A girl walked in and she quickly tried to quiet herself, hiccupping a couple of times and sniffling but trying to remain anonymous.

"Are you okay?" The girl asked; it was Parvati, the one who had spoken up for Neville during their first flying lesson.

"Fine. I just want to be left alone," Hermione said as steadily as she could, but even she could hear the tears threatening to spill out again. Parvati left and she was alone once again. She knew it was late enough that she was missing the feast now, but she didn't care. The fact that Ron had said she was "a nightmare" had bothered her so deeply; it was just like the people at her Muggle schools. They just didn't understand how passionate she was about educating herself. She didn't want to be stupid... that was the worst thing someone could be.

There was the sound of something large outside of the bathroom and Hermione froze; that didn't sound like a student, or even one of the teachers. Had the giant dog gotten free? She didn't dare open the stall to see. Whatever it was brought a terrible smell with it... oh, no. It smelled like the trolls that she had read about in one of her books. But what was it doing in the castle? She had better leave before it found her - she left the stall and had just turned around when it happened.

All of a sudden, the door to the girls' bathroom was slammed shut and she heard the lock click.

 _Oh, no, now I'm locked in with it!_ She thought, staring at the troll. It was about twelve feet tall with dull grey skin and a small bald head perched on top of a giant, bolder-like body. In one of its giant hands was a club that was easily twice the size of Hermione. She screamed in terror; her throat seemed to be the only part of her body that was working.

Just a moment later, both Harry and Ron burst through the door. Hermione was now up against the wall, trying to make herself as small as possible, while the troll advanced towards her, knocking the sinks off of the wall. She thought she might faint at any moment.

"Confuse it!" She heard Harry yell and saw a tap flying through the air and hitting the wall. The troll paused and looked around rather stupidly, trying to figure out what had made the noise.

"Oy, pea-brain!" Ron yelled this time, throwing a metal pipe and hitting its shoulder. The troll didn't even notice the pipe but turned towards Ron's voice. Harry ran towards Hermione.

"Come on, run, _run_!" He said to her, grabbing her hand and trying to pull her to the door; Hermione couldn't move. It felt as if she had been petrified with fear. She could feel the panic rising up and freezing her muscles while the room began to go dark. The troll was becoming confused by all the yelling and movement and went for Ron again, who had no way to get away.

Harry surprised Hermione by running up behind the troll and jumping up, grabbing onto its neck. She couldn't believe he would do something so stupid! When he jumped, he still had his wand in his hand and it had lodged itself in the troll's nose. Hermione's legs had gone numb and she was now sitting on the floor, watching with wide, scared eyes at what was unfolding in front of her. The troll began to howl with pain, twitching and flailing its club; Harry was holding on for dear life; and then she heard Ron.

" _Wingardium Leviosa_!" He cried. The club flew out of the troll's hand and hovered in the air for a moment before falling onto the troll's head with a crack that made Hermione shiver. It swayed on the spot and fell flat on its face, making the whole room tremble with the weight of it. Hermione was glad to see that both Harry and Ron were okay and had managed to avoid being squashed, and it took her a minute to find her own voice.

"Is it - dead?" She asked finally.

"I don't think so. I think it's just been knocked out." Harry pulled his wand out of the troll's nose as he spoke. There was a disgusting-looking goo that it was covered in. "Ugh - troll boogers," he said, wiping it on the troll's trousers.

A slamming and loud, hurried footsteps made the three of them jump and look up. Professor McGonagall rushed into the room, followed by Professors Snape and Quirrell. The latter whimpered and sat down on the toilet, clutching his heart. Professor Snape bent over to make sure the troll wasn't going to wake up while McGonagall had turned white with fury; Hermione had never seen her lips go so thin. Her heart sank... they were in much deeper trouble than she could have thought.

"What on earth were you thinking of? You're really lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?" Hermione wished Ron would put his wand down already; the Professor was angry enough without that. Harry looked at the floor as Professor McGonagall's eyes swept over him, closely followed by Professor Snape's.

"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me." Hermione didn't know what made her say it... perhaps it was just the fact that they _were_ trying to help her, and she didn't want them to get expelled.

"Miss Granger!" Hermione almost winced at the sharpness of Professor McGonagall's tone. She stood up and braced herself for the worst.

"I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand; Hermione didn't flinch, though she thought he was being quite unhelpful in this situation.

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead by now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived." Well, at least it wasn't a total lie...

"Well - in that case..." Professor McGonagall seemed to be thinking through how to deal with them now with this new piece of news. "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione just let her head fall to her chest, showing the shame that she was truly feeling. She didn't say anything to the Professors, waiting anxiously to hear what their punishment would be.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this. I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor Tower. Students are finishing the feast in their Houses."

Hermione left, hurrying along the corridors and stairways towards the Gryffindor common room. She was ready to be away from the troll and angry professors, and hoped that Harry and Ron stuck with her story. Once she had reached the Fat Lady, she gave the password (still "pig snout") and waited for them to arrive. When the two boys finally climbed through the portrait hole, there was a slightly embarrassed pause as they all looked at each other.

"Thanks," the three said at once before turning to get plates and partake in the feast. Hermione smiled as she ate; she could just tell that they were friends now. At least some good had come from that troll.


	4. Quidditch

Chapter 4: _Quidditch_  
Words: 2,484  
Total Words: 14,426

When November had come sweeping through the grounds and chilled them, it was apparent that Quidditch season was upon them. Hermione had lent Harry _Quidditch Through the Ages_ , and was glad that he had taken an interest in it - she knew he wasn't much of a book person. She wanted to see him do well on the team, and she had finished it ages ago anyway. Hermione had also spent a great deal of time helping both of the boys with their homework, letting them borrow her notes and re-writing their essays if they were bad enough (which they usually were.)

On the day before Harry's first Quidditch match, the three of them were gathered in the courtyard, huddled around a jar full of bright blue flames that Hermione had conjured to help ward away the frost. They were standing with their backs to it trying to get warm when they spotted Professor Snape walking towards them. Instinctively, they drew closer together to hide them - they weren't sure that it was allowed. Professor Snape didn't see the flames, but came over anyway - Hermione had a feeling he was just looking for a reason to tell them off. She also noticed that he was limping.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

Harry showed him _Quidditch Through the Ages_ , a rather guilty look on his face.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school. Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor." Snape limped away, the book clutched in his hand. Hermione was fairly confident that wasn't a rule, but remained silent in case Professor Snape heard her say something.

"He's just made that rule up. Wonder what's wrong with his leg?" Harry said once the professor was out of earshot.

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," Ron answered. Hermione nodded in agreement.

...

That evening, the three of them sat next to a window, working on their Charms homework. Harry and Ron begged Hermione to copy hers, but all she retorted with was, "How will you learn?" She agreed to check them over, though, just to make sure they didn't fail. Hermione noticed that Harry seemed extra anxious tonight... maybe it was just the nerves of his first match tomorrow getting to him. He stood up suddenly.

"I'm going to ask Snape for my book back."

"Better you than me," both Ron and Hermione said together. Hermione was glad he was going to ask and turned back to the boys' Charms homework to continue making corrections.

"D'you think he'll let Harry have it back?" Ron asked her after a few minutes.

"I don't know, but that rule really wasn't fair," she answered, scribbling out an answer on his homework and adding a note for him. They both remained quiet for a long while, waiting for Harry to return. When he did, he was winded and took a moment to catch his breath.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked him. "What's the matter?"

"No. Snape was with Filch - he was bandaging his leg and talking about 'keeping your eyes on all three heads at once.' You know what this means? He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick _he_ let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes widened; it was an interesting theory, for sure, but she wasn't confident that a _teacher_ would be trying to get past that dog. She trusted Dumbledore, and he wouldn't hire a dangerous person to teach.

"No - he wouldn't. I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

At this, Ron spoke up. "Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something. I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

Neither Ron nor Hermione had an answer for him. Later on, once she was finished with their Charms homework corrections, Hermione suggested they all go to bed - Harry especially. He would need his rest for his first Quidditch match the next day.

...

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," Hermione pressed. She didn't want to see Harry pass out from hunger on the field during his first match! They were playing Slytherin and she knew everyone wanted to see Gryffindor win.

"Harry, you need your strength," this time, it was Seamus Finnegan who spoke. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

Hermione did not think he was being helpful and frowned.

"Thanks, Seamus," Harry said, watching Seamus eat but not touching a plate himself. Hermione managed to get him to eat a little toast, but he refused anything more.

At eleven o'clock, Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean (another Gryffindor boy in their year) in the stands, anxiously awaiting the start of the first match of the year. Dean, who was a good artist as it turned out, helped them surprise Harry with a banner made out of a bedsheet that Scabbers had ruined; it said "Potter for President" and had a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Hermione had even bewitched it so the paint would flash different colors. She hoped it would help raise Harry's spirits when he saw it.

Hermione was biting her nails nervously when the teams walked out onto the field. They were greeted by Madam Hooch and she saw the captains shake hands before they mounted their brooms and Madam Hooch blew her whistle.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too - "

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

It was Lee Jordan, a Gryffindor boy in Fred and George's year that was narrating the match. Hermione giggled at his comment about Angelina and then turned her attention back to the match.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good friend of Oliver Wood's, last only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor's Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off towards the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

Hermione cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindors. She wasn't sure how well she liked this game, but she was still rooting for Harry and glad to hear the moans from the Slytherin end.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Both Ron and Hermione squeezed together in order to leave enough room for Hagrid to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut, but it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope. Harry hasn't had much to do yet," Ron answered.

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," Hagrid pulled out his binoculars to see the players better. Harry was just a tiny speck in the sky way above their heads.

"Slytherin in possession - Chaser Pucey ducks two bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds towards the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"

The Slytherin Chaser with the Quaffle dropped the ball as everyone's attention was drawn to the tiny golden ball that had fluttered by his ear. Hermione didn't realize she was holding her breath until she began to get a little dizzy; Harry and the Slytherin Seeker were both diving towards the Snitch -

WHAM.

The Slytherin Captain, Flint, had blocked Harry on purpose. All the Gryffindors roared with anger as Harry's broom spun off-course.

"FOUL!" Came a collective shout from the scarlet-and-gold crowd. Madam Hooch awarded Gryffindor a penalty, but the Snitch had been lost.

"Send him off, ref! Red card!" Dean Thomas was yelling. Ron looked at him.

"What are you talking about, Dean?"

"Red card! In soccer, you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!" Dean said furiously.

"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron said.

"They oughta change the rules," Hagrid said, agreeing with Dean. "Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."

"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating - " Lee Jordan was saying, seeming to have a hard time being an impartial commentator.

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall said warningly.

"I mean, after that open and revolting fowl - "

" _Jordan, I'm warning you_ \- "

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Hermione was watching Harry, though. For some reason, his broom seemed to start jerking around and it seemed to almost unseat him once or twice. Broomsticks shouldn't do that by themselves. Lee, however, didn't seem to notice this was happening.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face with a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - oh no..."

The Slytherins erupted with cheers, but Hermione's eyes were still on Harry. What was he doing? Was this a weird Quidditch play that Wood had given him? It didn't seem to be very effective...

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid said, echoing Hermione's thoughts. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he lost control of his broom... but he can't have..."

Suddenly everyone was watching Harry Potter jerk and twitch in the sky. His broom had started to roll over and he seemed to be hanging on for dear life. A second later, he was thrown off and just hanging on with one hand. Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus asked.

"Can't have. Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark Magic - no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand." Hagrid answered.

Hermione grabbed Hagrid's binoculars and began to scan the crowd. If it wasn't a student, it had to be a teacher...

"What are you doing?" Ron had gone pale.

"I knew it," Hermione answered, her eyes still glued to the binoculars. "Snape - look."

She handed Ron the binoculars so he could look where she was. Snape had his eyes locked on the form that was Harry and was muttering under his breath without inhaling, it seemed.

"He's doing something - jinxing the broom." Hermione wracked her brains, trying to think of a way to help Harry.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me."

Hermione left before Ron could say anything, hurrying along the rows and heading towards the stands where all the teachers were sitting. She heard gasps and exclamations from the crowd and her heart accelerated as she now broke into a run. As she reached the stands where the teachers were, she hurried along the row behind Snape, not even stopping to apologize to Professor Quirrell for knocking him over in her haste. She pulled out her wand, pointed it at Snape's robes, and whispered the incantation for her trademark blue flames. The hem of Snape's robes caught fire and thirty seconds later, Snape let out a cry of shock. She scooped the flames into a jar and hurried back along the row and back towards the rest of the Gryffindors. She got back in time to hear Ron telling Neville it was safe to look again.

When she took her seat, she was glad to see that Harry was back on his broom and shooting towards the ground - had he seen the Snitch again? All of a sudden, he clapped a hand to his mouth and hit the field on all fours and coughed. Something gold fell into his hand. He waved it around and Hermione thought she saw him say, "I've got the Snitch" but she couldn't hear him.

Once the match had ended, Hermione, Ron, and Harry joined Hagrid for a cup of tea back in his hut.

"It was Snape. Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish. Why would Snape do somethin' like that?" Hagrid clearly hadn't heard anything that Ron or Hermione had said in the stands. The Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other, not sure what to say. Eventually, Harry spoke up.

"I found out something about it. He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding," Harry explained.

Hagrid dropped the teapot. "How do you know about Fluffy?"

" _Fluffy_?"

"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year - I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the - "

"Yes?" Hermione heard the note of eagerness in Harry's voice. Hagrid looked disgruntled.

"Now, don't ask me anymore. That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to _steal_ it."

"Rubbish. Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort," Hagrid said stubbornly. Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" She cried, setting her tea down rather forcefully. After what she had witnessed at the Quidditch game, she had changed her mind about Snape. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid. I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong! I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget the dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicholas Flamel - "

"Aha! So there's someone called Nicholas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid didn't answer, but looked quite upset with himself.


	5. Nicholas Flamel

Chapter 5: _Nicholas Flamel_  
Words: 3,841  
Total Words: 18,267

Christmas at Hogwarts was a magical time. Hermione felt the holiday in the air and was very excited, even though she would be spending her Christmas back with her parents. It would be nice to see them after everything that had happened since September, and to get away from people like Malfoy, whose bad temper at Slytherin being beaten and Harry surviving his broomstick jinx had forced him to go back to making fun of Harry for having no family. Hermione thought this was completely uncalled for, but since Malfoy was mainly a jerk in Potions, she kept her mouth shut so Snape didn't have any reason to take points from Gryffindor.

After one Potions lesson where Malfoy was yet again being a nuisance, Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the dungeons only to find a large fir tree with feet puffing like it was out of breath.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked; Hermione couldn't help but hear the grin in his voice.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" It was Malfoy. Hermione's heart sank; he seemed out to get them into trouble and she wondered what he was up to now. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose - that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Harry and Hermione didn't have time to stop Ron from lunging at Malfoy... just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of Malfoy. Hermione was going to explain, but Hagrid beat her to it.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape. Malfoy was insultin' his family." He poked his head around the giant tree.

"Be that as it may, fighting is still against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid. Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Hermione was glad it wasn't more and took it as a weird Christmas present from Snape. If Ron had actually hurt Malfoy, he probably not only would have landed himself in detention, but gotten fifty points taken away. She hurried along to catch up with Harry, Ron, and Hagrid, all of whom had already walked away.

"I'll get him. One of these days, I'll get him - " Ron was saying, gritting his teeth angrily.

"I hate them both; Malfoy and Snape." Harry said.

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas. Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat." Hagrid grinned at the three of them.

Hermione couldn't help but smile when she saw the Great Hall. The teachers were putting a lot of effort into it, and she had all ready seen Hagrid a few times, bringing in large trees and dragging them into the hall for the teachers to finish decorating. There was holly and mistletoe hanging on the walls and some of the trees already sparkled with tiny icicles or shining with candles. It was mostly Professors McGonagall and Flitwick working on the decorations, and they were indeed in the hall when the four of them walked in.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree - put it in the far corner, would you?"

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked the Hermione after putting the tree where he had been instructed. She was the only one of the trio that would be leaving Hogwarts for Christmas and spending it with family. Harry wasn't going to the Dursleys - not that she blamed him one bit, they really sounded awful - and Ron's parents were off visiting Charlie, one of his older brothers in Romania.

"Just one," Hermione answered. "And that reminds me - " she turned to Harry and Ron - "we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

Ron looked at Hermione and away from Professor Flitwick, who was conjuring golden bubbles out of his wand to decorate the trees currently. "Oh yeah, you're right."

"The library? Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?" Hagrid said as he walked with them out of the hall.

"Oh, we're not working. Ever since you mentioned Nicholas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is," Harry said casually. Hermione wished he hadn't, as Hagrid now looked upset again.

"You _what_?" Hagrid said loudly. He lowered his voice and continued, "Listen here - I've told yeh - drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

Well, the cat was out of the bag, at any rate. Hermione chimed in, "We just want to know who Nicholas Flamel is, that's all."

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble? We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere - just give us a hint - I know I've read his name somewhere." Harry was very careful with his words and tone.

"I'm sayin' nothin'." Hagrid answered stubbornly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," Ron shrugged and the three of them left to hurry to the library and continue their search.

Once they had gotten to the book-filled room, Hermione brought out a list of subjects and titles that she had thought of trying and went down one of the many rows to begin to look. She had no luck, however. Maybe Flamel wasn't in the library... but it hadn't failed her yet and she wasn't ready to give up either. The only place she hadn't searched was the Restricted Section; you needed a specially signed note from a teacher to get in and Madam Pince wasn't a rule-breaker. She, Harry, and Ron had also already decided not to ask her about Flamel - they didn't want to raise any suspicions or let any teachers know that they knew.

"You'd better get out, then. Go on - out!" Hermione heard Madam Pince saying curtly. Either Harry or Ron must have been caught with no viable reason to be in her precious library. Hermione finished up the book she was looking in and left, running into Harry in the corridor. Ron joined soon after and the three went down to lunch, disappointed that their search had been useless.

"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you? And send me an owl if you find anything." Hermione said, sitting down and piling food onto her plate. The day's searching had made her hungrier than she thought.

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is. It'd be safe to ask them." Ron said as he and Harry sat down as well.

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," Hermione said, smirking inwardly.

...

Hermione was enjoying her Christmas break; it was nice to see her parents again and to tell them about everything that had happened at Hogwarts since the beginning of the term. She told them about her classes, about Quidditch (explaining it as best she could,) and even about the troll that had been the catalyst for her, Ron, and Harry to become friends.

"Hermione," her mother called on Christmas morning, "come down here and open your presents before we have lunch."

It had been a tradition for her family to have Christmas lunch instead of dinner. She threw on a robe and ran downstairs, quite excited to celebrate one of her favorite holidays with her family. The tree that her parents had decorated was beautiful and reminded her of the Hogwarts Great Hall; she felt a pang as she thought about school. She missed it, but was glad to be away from the likes of Malfoy and the Slytherins - especially Snape.

"Mum, dad?" Hermione asked as she opened one of her presents - it was a rather large book on magical places. "Thank you for this, I've been wanting it since I saw it at Flourish and Blotts - but I have a question for you two."

"Yes, dear?" Her mother answered while her father sat on the couch and watched Hermione with careful eyes.

"Do you... know who Nicholas Flamel is?"

"No, I don't think I've ever heard that name before. Why? Is it for a school project?" Her father answered.

"Sort of... I came across the name in a book, but it didn't go into detail. I just wondered."

Hermione didn't bring up Flamel again. She'd known that they wouldn't have any idea who he was, but Ron had been right. It was safe to ask them.

...

When Hermione returned to Hogwarts, the day before term started, she was shocked to learn about the Invisibility Cloak that Harry had received as a Christmas present and asked to see the note that was attached. But it had only said:

" _Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you.  
Use it well.  
A Very Merry Christmas to you._"

She had been disappointed to know the sender hadn't put his or her name on it, and she was a mixture of shocked, disappointed, and upset that Harry had been wandering around the castle at night for three nights in a row but didn't find anything on Nicholas Flamel.

"If Filch had caught you!" She said to Harry after he had told her about his nighttime journeys. The three of them had almost given up on finding out who Flamel was and were reduced to looking in books during their breaks and any other free time they had - Hermione and Ron both had more time than Harry did too, as Quidditch practice had started up again and Wood seemed fanatical about winning the Quidditch Cup.

One afternoon, Hermione and Ron were sitting in the common room playing wizard's chess, which in and of itself aggravated Hermione slightly because she always lost, when Harry came through the portrait hole looking rather glum.

"Don't talk to me for a moment. I need to concen - " Ron began, but when he caught sight of Harry's face, he stopped. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

"Wood just told us that Snape is refereeing the next Quidditch match," Harry answered, sounding depressed and worried.

"Don't play," Hermione said immediately. This was bad news; Harry'd had enough trouble with Snape during the first Quidditch match.

"Say you're ill," suggested Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg."

" _Really_ break your leg." Hermione thought Ron was going a little overboard with this suggestion.

"I can't," Harry answered glumly. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

This news was almost worse than hearing that Snape would be the referee. Hermione was about to say something to hopefully comfort Harry when Neville toppled through the portrait hole, distracting all three of them. Hermione realized at once that his legs had been stuck together by the Leg-Locker Curse. _Poor Neville, he probably had to hop all the way up here,_ she thought, leaping up and performing the countercurse immediately while ignoring everyone else's laughter. Neville got to his feet, shaking.

"What happened?" Hermione asked him, helping him over to where Ron and Harry were sitting.

"Malfoy. I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"Go to Professor McGonagall! Report him!" Hermione couldn't believe Neville had come back to the common room instead of going straight to a teacher. Neville just shook his head.

"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville! He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier." Ron said, trying to sound encouraging. Hermione nodded in agreement, though she still thought going to Professor McGonagall would have been a good choice.

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that." Hermione didn't know what to say, but Harry took out one of the Chocolate Frogs that she had given him for Christmas and gave it to Neville, who was still looking like he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy. The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin." Neville looked slightly cheered up by this thought. Hermione smiled; Harry was right.

"Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?"

Hermione watched Neville walk away after giving the Chocolate Frog card to Harry. She hoped he felt better in the morning.

"Dumbledore again," Harry was saying. "He was the first one I ever - "

Hermione looked around at him, wondering why he stopped speaking. Harry was looking at the back of the card, his eyes wide. He looked back up at Ron and Hermione.

" _I've found him_! I've found Flamel! I _told_ you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it ont he train coming here - listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, _and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel_!"

All of a sudden, Hermione remembered reading his name too. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid to forget it! She jumped up, excitement tingling through her.

"Stay there!" She said, running up to the girls' dormitories and grabbing a large book out of her trunk. She made it back down to see Harry and Ron looking confusedly at each other. "I never thought to look in here! I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

" _Light_?" Ron said incredulously, but Hermione just frowned and shushed him while she flipped the pages.

 _It's got to be here somewhere..._ she thought to herself. It took her a moment before she finally found the right page.

"I knew it! I _knew_ it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" Ron said grumpily, but Hermione just ignored him.

"Nicholas Flamel is the _only known maker of the Philoshopher's Stone_!" She was brimming with excitement, but was a little put out when neither Harry nor Ron seemed to understand what that meant.

"The what?" Harry and Ron said together. Hermione frowned again.

"Oh, _honestly_ , don't you two read? Look - read that, there." She pushed the book towards the two of them and watched as they read the passage:

" _The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal._

 _There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight.)_ "

"See?" Hermione said, the excitement coming back, "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying! No wonder Snape's after it! _Anyone_ would want it!" Harry sounded in awe and excited about their discovery.

"And no wonder we couldn't find him in _Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry_. He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?" Ron said with a slight grin on his face.

...

Defense Against the Dark Arts the next morning was full of Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussing what they would do if they each had a Philosoper's Stone, quietly talking to each other between notes on different ways of treating werewolf bites. Once Ron said he would buy his own Quidditch team, they all remembered that Snape would be refereeing the next match.

"I'm going to play," Harry told Ron and Hermione. "If I don't all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them... it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."

Hermione admired Harry's courage, but couldn't help herself from saying, "Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field."

Although Harry put on the facade of being confident and ready for the match, Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that he was more anxious than any of his teammates. She was quite proud of how Harry was handling the extra stress, however; especially in Potions, which had gotten so horrible that Hermione almost went to Professor McGonagall a few times to try and put a stop to it. The fact that Snape was being so horrible was making both Ron and Hermione worry about what he might try to pull at the match... they hoped that he wouldn't do anything in front of all the teachers. They also had agreed to bring their wands to the match, just in case, and to practice some spells so they could come to Harry's aid if he needed them.

When the two of them bid Harry good luck before he went into the locker room, they hoped that his teammates might be able to sooth his anxiety and remind him of what a good Seeker he was before they kicked off. Ron and Hermione seated themselves next to Neville, who looked concerned at their grim faces, but didn't say anything to them, even when he noticed that both of them had their wands as well.

"Now, don't forget, it's _Locomotor Mortis_ ," Hermione whispered to Ron - the two of them had practiced the Leg-Locker Curse in case they needed to use it on Snape.

"I _know_ , don't nag." Ron retorted as they hid their wands. "Look, Dumbledore came to watch the match!"

A wave of relief swept over Hermione. Maybe they wouldn't need their wands after all. Snape wouldn't be stupid enough to try and kill Harry in front of the headmaster! But Snape looked angrier than Hermione had ever seen him before.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," Ron said to Hermione, a note of worry in his voice. "Look - they're off. Ouch!"

Malfoy had poked Ron in the back of the head.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there." Malfoy grinned maliciously at Crabbe and Goyle. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

Hermione was ignoring Malfoy; her fingers were crossed in her lap and she was squinting at the speck that was Harry. Ron ignored him as well, his eyes fixed on Harry as well. George Weasley hit a Bludger at Snape, who in turn awarded Hufflepuff a penalty.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team? It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money - you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason. Hermione grunted and frowned in frustration. Why did Malfoy have to come try and bother them? She was rather glad when she heard Neville turn around and address Malfoy, even if his voice was rather shaky.

"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy."

"You tell them, Neville," Ron said, his eyes still on the game. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle all roared with laughter.

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

"I'm warning you, Malfoy - one more word - " Ron began, but Hermione interrupted him, pointing at the field.

"Ron! Harry - !"

"What? Where?"

Harry had begun to dive; he must have seen the Snitch! Hermione stood up in her chair, her fingers still crossed but now in her mouth.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" Malfoy taunted.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, ignoring the fact that Ron had launched himself at Malfoy and wrestled him to the ground - Neville had joined in too, but had taken on both Crabbe and Goyle. Hermione watched as a scarlet blur raced past Snape; it was Harry, still in the dive; Hermione clutched at her face as Harry pulled out just before smashing into the ground - he raised his fist in the air. He had caught the Snitch. The whole stadium erupted in cheers; this had to be some sort of record!

"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" Hermione screamed, dancing up and down on the seat and hugging Parvati in front of her. Maybe Quidditch was more fun than she thought after all. She was soon joined by an ecstatic Ron, yelling himself hoarse through a heavy nosebleed.

Ron and Hermione waited in the entrance hall for a long while after the game; Harry didn't come up with the rest of the Gryffindor team. It was dark outside by the time he did make it through the portrait hole, and he looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Harry, where have you _been_?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"We won! We won! We won!" Ron shouted, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right - talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

"Never mind that now. Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this..." Hermione allowed herself to be ushered by Harry into one of the empty classrooms along their way, where he went on to explain what he'd just seen with Professor Quirrell and Snape. "So we were right, it _is_ the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy - and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' - I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through - "

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Snape was threatening Quirrell now? Wouldn't he have known how to get past any Dark Arts spell, seeing how it was he who had been applying for the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching post for years? What had Quirrell done that Snape couldn't get past?

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" She asked. She did not like the sound of this at all.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," Ron said, shaking his head.


	6. Norbert

Chapter 6: _Norbert_  
Words: 3,959  
Total Words: 22,226

Now that exams were approaching, Hermione began to write up study schedules and color code her notes during classes. She wanted to be prepared for her first year exams, and kept suggesting that Harry and Ron do the same.

"Hermione, the exams are ages away." Ron said to her one afternoon after she had offered to help them organize their notes.

"Ten weeks. That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicholas Flamel." She was rather snappish and irritable; the fact that her two friends weren't taking exams as seriously as she was did bother her.

"But we're not six hundred years old. Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all." Ron said reasonably.

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me..." Hermione began to fret.

She was glad that she had organized her schedule when all the teachers began thinking like her; they were piling on homework and stressing the importance of exams just as much as Hermione thought they would. She managed to drag Harry and Ron with her to the library a lot more now; she could tell that they were getting anxious as the teachers continued to stress, and she just wanted to help.

One afternoon, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all in the library, studying hard (per Hermione's suggestion) and Ron finally threw down his quill in irritation.

"I'll never remember this," he burst out angrily, looking out the library window longingly. It was a beautiful day and Hermione could tell he resented being inside, but she knew it was for the best if they were to pass exams. Hermione didn't look at him until he suddenly said, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Sure enough, Hagrid shuffled into view, looking guilty and hiding his hands behind his back. Hermione wondered why he looked so shifty, but Hagrid spoke before she could ask what he was hiding.

"Jus' lookin'. An' what're you lot up ter?" He turned the conversation around, now looking at the three of them like they were the guilty ones. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicholas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," Ron said, brushing off Hagrid's stare. " _And_ we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Philosopher's St - "

" _Shhhh_!" Hagrid said, his eyes widening and looking around to make sure that nobody was eavesdropping. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

This time, Harry spoke, acting like he hadn't heard Hagrid's warning. "There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact, about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy - "

"SHHHH!" Hagrid said, this time with more urgency. "Listen - come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don't go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'possed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh - "

"See you later, then," Harry said, cutting Hagrid off; he walked away, still hiding something in his hands.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" Hermione asked Ron and Harry, glad they were going to see him later so she could ask him directly.

"I'm going to see what section he was in," Ron said, walking off. He returned moments later with an armful of books - " _Dragons_! Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: _Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland_ ; _From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide_."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him." Harry said, looking at the books Ron had put down in front of him and Hermione.

"But it's against our laws. Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden 0 anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania," Ron said.

"But there aren't wild dragons in _Britain_?" Harry asked, sounding shocked at the idea. Hermione forgot that Harry hadn't studied too much about the wizarding world like she had; some ideas that she had come to terms with still seemed to shock him.

"Of course there are," Ron said bracingly. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" Hermione asked, not liking the thought of what the answer might be.

...

Later on that evening Hermione, Harry, and Ron knocked on Hagrid's front door, only to be greeted with a brisk "Who is it?" before he opened the door and ushered them in quickly. Hermione couldn't help but notice that all the blinds were drawn and it was very hot inside; Hagrid even had the fire lit, though it was far too nice a day to need it for extra heat. He offered the three of them tea and sandwiches, which they refused.

"So - yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

"Yes. We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Philosopher's Stone apart from Fluffy." Harry said. Hermione thought he was being very forward and hoped he hadn't upset Hagrid any more... Hagrid was looking rather cross now.

"O' course I cant. Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts - I s'ppose yeh've worked that one out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

Hermione decided to try talking him into giving up some more information. In her warmest, most flattering voice, she said, "Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you _do_ know, you know everything that goes on round here. We only wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

Hagrid's beard twitched; he was obviously smiling. His chest puffed out at her words as well - she had clearly chosen her words well. She glanced over to see both Harry and Ron beaming at her.

"Well, I don' s'ppose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... he borrowed Fluffy from me... then some o' the teachers did enchantments... Professor Sprout - Professor Flitwick - Professor McGonagall - Professor Quirrell - an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

Although Hermione had expected all the other teachers, the fact that Snape had helped protect it did take her a little bit by surprise. He didn't seem as trustworthy as he was pretending to be.

" _Snape_?"

"Yeah - yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped _protect_ the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

Hagrid said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Hermione still wasn't quite convinced. If he had indeed been part of protecting the Stone, that means it would have been fairly easy to figure out all the other teachers' protections... except Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you? And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?" There was obvious anxiety in Harry's voice as he spoke.

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore."

"Well, that's something." Harry sighed and wiped some sweat off of his forehead. It was getting too hot in the hut. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

Hermione noticed Hagrid glanced at the fire before answering. "Can't, Harry, sorry."

"Hagrid - what's _that_?"

As Harry spoke, something clicked in Hermione's brain. It looked like an egg... and Hagrid had been looking at books about dragons earlier when they had seen him in the library...

"Ah... that's - er - " Hagrid stuttered, nervously twisting his beard.

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" Ron had made his way over to the fire and was now crouched over the black egg sitting on it. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it. Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" Hermione asked. She had no idea what kind of dragon it was, but she was sure that it would be dangerous to have around, and end up at least the size of Hagrid's hut. It was one thing to have a giant three-headed dog in the castle, but a dragon?

"Well, I've been doin' some readin'... got this outta the library - _Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit_ \- it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here - how ter recognize diff'rent eggs - what I got in there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them." Hagrid sounded both proud and excited. This made Hermione worry even more.

"Hagrid," she said, "you live in a _wooden house_."

But Hagrid had turned back to stoke the fire, humming to himself and smiling.

...

Hermione, Harry, and Ron now had the extra stress of worrying whether Hagrid was going to be found out for keeping an illegal dragon in his hut along with their studies. Hermione had made Harry and Ron study schedules in hopes of helping and been pestering them to stay focused on their exams, hoping to help them pass.

And then, one morning while they were having breakfast, Hedwig, Harry's snowy owl, brought him a letter with only two words written on it: _It's hatching_.

Ron had suggested they skip Herbology, but Hermione squashed that idea immediately.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing - " she had began, but Harry interrupted.

"Shut up!"

Hermione turned to him to finish, but caught sight of Malfoy, who had stopped dead in his tracks to eavesdrop on their conversation. She closed her mouth at once and glared at him. How much had he heard?

Ron picked the argument up as soon as Malfoy was gone and the three were headed down to the greenhouses, and Hermione found herself talking back to him until they got to class, at which point they agreed that they would go and visit Hagrid during morning break. Once their lesson was over, they were among the first students to leave, hurrying over to Hagrid's hut to see how things had progressed.

"It's nearly out," Hagrid said in lieu of a greeting while he ushered them inside. The egg was now lying on the table with several deep cracks in the shell. There was a funny kind of clicking noise coming from it that made Hermione slightly uneasy. Still, she, Ron, and Harry drew chairs up to the table and sat down to watch what would happen.

Suddenly, there was a loud scraping noise and the egg split open; the baby dragon flopped onto the table. Hermione thought it looked rather like a crumpled umbrella with spiny wings and a long snout. Its eyes were bright orange. It sneezed, and sparks flew out of its snout and towards Hagrid, who looked breathtaken.

"Isn't he _beautiful_?" He reached out to stroke the dragon's head and it snapped at his fingers with sharp, pointy fangs. Hermione could sort of see what he was saying, but she knew that he would become a huge, wild creature very soon. It was all ready the size of the table. "Bless him, he knows his mommy!"

"Hagrid," Hermione said tentatively, still eyeing the dragon, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

But Hagrid never answered. Instead, his face went pale and he hurried to the window.

"What's the matter?"

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains - it's a kid - he's runnin' back up ter the school." Hagrid sounded scared.

Harry got up to the window first, closely followed by Hermione, then Ron. It was Malfoy.

...

The way Malfoy was now smirking and strutting about the school made Hermione very nervous; she knew that Harry and Ron were feeling the same way too. After what he had seen at Hagrid's, there was no telling when he would be found out and how much trouble he would get in. An illegal dragon wasn't something he could talk his way out of, either. So the three of them had spent all their free time down at the hut, in the dark, trying to talk some sense into the gamekeeper.

"Just let him go, set him free." Harry had said.

"I can't, he's too little. He'd die." Hermione's heart broke to hear how sad Hagrid sounded at the thought of letting his little dragon go, but she knew it would be for the best. He couldn't keep it in his hut - not only was it too small, but it was made of wood. And the dragon had grown three times in length since it was born. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils and it would emit sparks at random times. Hagrid's hut was also littered with empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers.

"I've decided to call him Norbert. He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's mommy?" Hagrid had misty eyes and a motherly demeanor whenever he spoke to or about the creature, now called Norbert, and it pained the trio to watch it continue while they knew the possible consequences.

"Hagrid, give it two weeks and Norbert is going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

When Harry said this, Hagrid bit his lip and looked worried. "I - I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."

Harry turned to Ron.

"Charlie."

"You're losing it, too," Ron said. Hermione rather agreed with this, but stayed silent, waiting to see where Harry went with this. "I'm Ron, remember?"

"No - Charlie - your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert back to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"

Now that he had explained himself, both Hermione and Ron thought this was a brilliant idea.

"Brilliant! How about it, Hagrid?" Ron said, turning to him. He eventually agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie and ask.

...

Hermione felt like this was one of the longest weeks she'd had at Hogwarts. On a Wednesday night, Hermione found herself alone in the common room with Harry; the clock was chiming midnight when Ron burst through the portrait hole and pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak. He had been taking his turn down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert (he was now eating dead rats.)

"It bit me!" Ron said angrily. His hand was bandaged and bloody and Hermione winced. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."

When he'd finished, there was a tap on the window. It was Hedwig, with a letter clutched in her beak.

"It's Hedwig! She'll have Charlie's answer!" Harry rushed to the window to let her in. They all sat together and read:

 _Dear Ron,_

 _How are you? Thanks for the letter - I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon._

 _Could you get the Ridgeback up to the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark._

 _Send me an answer as soon as possible._

 _Love,  
Charlie._

"We've got the invisibility cloak," Harry said once they were finished reading. "It shouldn't be too difficult - I think the cloak's big enough to cover two of us and Norbert."

Hermione and Ron nodded; anything to get rid of Norbert and the constant worry of when Hagrid would get into trouble.

The next day, however, they found that Ron's had had swollen two twice its original size and it had turned a rather sick shade of green. Hermione suggested the hospital wing, even though they were sure Madam Pomfrey would recognize what the bite was from. But by the afternoon, they had no choice. The bite wasn't getting better, and Hermione thought to herself that Norbert's fangs might be poisonous. She didn't want to get Ron into trouble, but she thought getting him medical attention was the best course of action and pushed until Harry and Ron agreed. Once their classes were over, Hermione and Harry rushed to see how Ron was doing, only to find him in a state.

"It's not just my hand, although that feels like it's about to fall off," Ron grimaced. "Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me - I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me - I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."

Hermione felt a pang of anger towards Malfoy, but pushed it aside. They had more important things to deal with first - like getting Norbert taken care of so that Malfoy couldn't get Hagrid into trouble.

"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," Hermione said soothingly, trying to help calm Ron down. He suddenly sat upright, his face going pale.

"Midnight on Saturday! Oh no - oh no - I've just remembered - Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."

This was a very unpleasant piece of news, but neither Harry nor Hermione could answer him, as Madam Pomfrey ushered them out of the hospital wing, saying that Ron needed rest. After they had left, Harry turned to Hermione.

"It's too late to change the plan now," he said. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we _have_ got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doens't know about that."

Although she knew Harry was right, Hermione felt anxious about the plan. Malfoy was trying to screw everything up. She was still deep in thought as she and Harry went down to Hagrid's hut to tell him what had happened. He didn't open the door, but a window instead so he could speak to them.

"I won't let you in. Norbert's at a tricky stage - nothin' I can't handle."

Hermione told him about Charlie's letter, watching the tears in Hagrid's eyes sadly. She wondered whether they were because Norbert would be leaving or he had just been bitten on the leg.

"Argh! It's all right, he only got my boot - jus' playin' - he's only a baby, after all." As Hagrid spoke, Norbert banged his tail on the wall. Harry and Hermione agreed that Saturday couldn't come soon enough.

...

When Saturday arrived, Hermione found it hard to worry about Hagrid's emotional well-being; she was worried more about what she and Harry were about to do. It was a dark, cloudy night and they had already met Peeves in the entrance hall - they'd waited under the cloak for him to leave before they made their way to Hagrid's hut. She was grateful that Norbert was packed in a crate when they got there.

"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," Hagrid said, sadness weighing heavily in his voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."

Hermione wondered if Hagrid knew that the teddy was just a chew toy - it sounded an awful lot like its head was getting torn off inside the crate.

"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid said, sobbing, when they finally left. "Mommy will never forget you!"

The trip up to the tower was a big blur to Hermione; even the shortcut that Harry led them through didn't make the trip much easier. Norbert seemed to get heavier as they climbed and they began to worry about making it on time as midnight ticked nearer and nearer.

"Nearly there!" Harry finally panted as they reached the corridor leading to the tallest tower. Hermione didn't have the breath to answer him, but was thankful their journey was almost over. They froze as a lantern flared just ten feet away... it was Professor McGonagall, wearing a tartan bathrobe, a hair net, and a frown. She had Malfoy by his ear and looked furious with him.

"Detention! And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how _dare_ you - "

"You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming - he's got a dragon!" Hermione felt a fresh wave of anger. So he _was_ trying to get them into trouble! This was something that could get them expelled! She silently cheered Professor McGonagall for catching him.

"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on - I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

Hermione was glad that Malfoy hadn't had the brains to show Professor McGonagall the letter he had gotten from Ron... that would be hard evidence to dispute. She was so wrapped in her thoughts that she barely noticed that she and Harry had made it to the tower. Once they threw off the cloak, she broke into a jig.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!" She said happily.

"Dont," Harry said, but he was smiling. They waited for about ten minutes before four broomsticks carrying shadowy figures approached them. It was Charlie's friends. The four of them were quite cheery and showed Harry and Hermione the harness that they had rigged up so that Norbert could be suspended between them safely as they buckled him in. Finally, they took off, and the two watched as Norbert disappeared into the dark, cloudy sky.

They quietly walked back down the spiral staircase, glad to not be carrying such heavy cargo now. Both Hermione and Harry had smiles on their faces - they had done it! Now Hagrid couldn't get into trouble, and neither would they!

Suddenly, they saw Filch's face appear seemingly out of thin air and at that moment, they both realized that they had forgotten the invisibility cloak at the top of the tower.

"Well, well, well... we _are_ in trouble." Filch was smiling.


	7. The Forbidden Forest

Chapter 7: _The Forbidden Forest_  
Words: 4,431  
Total Words: 26,657

Hermione felt her heart sink. She had never been in so much trouble, and she feared that both she and Harry were going to be expelled. Hermione began to tremble as Filch led the two of them to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, wondering what she would say. There was no defense good enough to get them off the hook for wandering around the corridors at night, and Malfoy just made things worse for them by trying to tell what they were doing. Not only had they been walking around all night, but they were in the tallest tower, which was out-of-bounds to students except during classes. Hermione began to panic; they might as well be packing their bags now. And she hadn't even sat exams!

When Professor McGonagall finally came in, she was leading Neville. Hermione's heart sank. How could this happen? He didn't even know what was going on.

"Harry! I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag - " Neville burst out, but Harry shook his head vigorously to shut him up. Hermione felt herself go pink. So Neville had known what was going on; he just hadn't known how true it was. Hermione's terrified eyes turned back to Professor McGonagall. She looked beside herself.

"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. _Explain yourselves_."

Hermione looked at her feet. It felt as if her throat had stopped working, and was probably the first time that she had not answered a teacher's question. How could she even begin to explain why she and Harry were where they were without getting Hagrid into trouble?

"I think I've got a good idea of what's going on. It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"

It felt like Hermione's heart had stopped. That was so far from the truth... it was true, she didn't care if Malfoy had gotten into trouble, but she would _never_ have tried to get Neville in trouble. She glanced up at him - he looked stunned and hurt. She wished there was a way to tell him that it wasn't true without Professor McGonagall hearing.

"I'm disgusted. Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detention - yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, _nothing_ gives you the right to walk around the school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous - and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

It would have been preferable for the Professor to have hit Hermione.

" _Fifty_?" Harry gasped beside her. Hermione's voice died in her throat.

"Fifty points _each_.

"Professor - please - " Hermione said in shock. She couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

"You _can't_ \- "

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

It was a subdued walk back to Gryffindor Tower for the three of them. Hermione was still in shock that she had gotten her first detention and that they had lost their House one hundred and fifty points. When they finally reached the Fat Lady, they looked at each other awkwardly in the common room before silently making their way to their dormitories. Hermione lay awake for most of that night, glad she hadn't gotten expelled but wondering what they would do for detention and how the rest of Gryffindor would react once they had found out that three first-years had lost them that many House Points.

...

Once the rest of the House had figured out who had lost them so many points, their attitudes towards Harry, especially, changed for the worse. Hermione even noticed that the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had a rather sour attitude as well; the whole school had been longing to see Slytherin lose the House Cup this year and it looked like that was no longer going to happen.

Ron was trying his best to offer comfort to both Harry and Hermione.

"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them," he said bracingly.

"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" Harry said, still looking quite miserable. Hermione felt as bad as he looked.

"Well - no..."

Hermione frowned at her relatively untouched plate of food. She had eaten just enough to prevent herself from passing out, but had felt full after that and pushed the plate away. She didn't feel very well after losing all those points and getting into so much trouble. During classes, she kept her head down as well and didn't draw any attention to herself; not that anyone would speak to her anyway. Neville was having a hard time too and followed Hermione's lead in staying silent most of the day.

One afternoon, when exams were about a week away, Harry came running into the library where Hermione and Ron were finishing up some Astronomy work. He was bursting to tell them something and looked around before filling them in on what he had just heard - Quirrell was under even more pressure now, and he suspected that Snape had finally gotten him to tell what his enchantment was and how to pass it.

"Snape's done it, then!" Ron said, abandoning his studying. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell - "

Hermione interrupted; there was something Ron was forgetting. "There's still Fluffy, though."

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid. I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog."

Although Ron was beginning to look excited, Hermione answered before Harry had a chance to. She was not about to get in trouble again.

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

"But we've got no _proof_! Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor - who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret that we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining." Harry hardly took a breath through his speech. Hermione immediately saw his point. Ron, however, wasn't so sure.

"If we just do a bit of poking around - " he began.

"No," Harry said, cutting him off. "We've done enough poking around."

...

The next morning during breakfast, notes were delivered to Hermione, Harry, and Neville.

" _Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall._

Professor McGonagall"

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and put the note down, no longer interested in breakfast. She believed that they deserved what they had gotten, but she still wasn't looking forward to it. Especially since she saw that Malfoy had gotten the same note - he had quite a sour look on his face.

At eleven that night, Hermione, Harry, and Neville made their way to the entrance hall to meet Filch, who looked like Christmas had come early. Malfoy was already there, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"Follow me," Filch said nastily. He had a lamp and Hermione was glad for it, as that night was darker than usual. Even though the moon was bright, the clouds kept rolling over it and throwing them all back into shadow. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh? Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

The fact that Filch was enjoying this so much was putting Hermione on edge, and Neville seemed to feel the same way. He kept sniffing and it just made Hermione sadder to think that they had really gotten him into this trouble. Hermione's heart lifted, however, when she heard a familiar shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started." It was Hagrid! Maybe this detention wouldn't be as bad as she thought.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy - it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

Hermione ignored this; Filch must have seen the relief on Harry's face and decided to try and make things worse. But she knew that Hagrid would never let anything bad happen to them in the forest. She did grin to herself, however, when she heard Malfoy speak up, a definite note of fear in his voice.

"The forest? We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard."

"That's your problem, isn't it? Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?" Filch did not sound sympathetic. In fact, he sounded more gleeful than ever.

Hagrid was walking towards them, Fang at his heels and a crossbow in his hands. He looked quite formidable. Hermione wondered what he was going to have them do.

"Abou' time. I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?"

All Hermione had time to do was nod before Filch spoke up again.

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid. They're here to be punished, after all."

Hermione really wished Filch would just be quiet.

"That's why yer late, is it?" Hagrid did not sound happy and Hermione smiled inwardly, proud of him for standing up to the awful caretaker. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn... for what's left of 'em." Filch left, the lantern bobbing away as he went. Hermione frowned after him.

"I'm not going into that forest," Malfoy said, now sounding quite panicky. It took a lot of restraint from Hermione to not laugh at him.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts. Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay for it."

"But this servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd - "

" - tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid finished for him, sounding irritated now. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"

Malfoy didn't answer and dropped his gaze.

"Right then. Now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

Although Hagrid said that they were going to be doing something dangerous, Hermione still trusted him to keep them safe. She followed him along with the other three to the edge of the forest.

"Look there. See that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have to put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy sounded even more scared this time. Hermione was a little nervous now too, but was also wondering why someone would try to kill a unicorn. It was beyond bad luck to do something like that.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang. An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

When they all walked into the forest, they reached a fork in the path. There was no noise around them and the trees seemed a little menacing, but Hermione was glad Hagrid was with them.

"I want Fang," Malfoy said instantly. Hermione silently hoped Hagrid would take her with him, she felt more comfortable with him.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward. So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now - that's it - an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh - so, be careful - let's go."

Hermione wondered if Hagrid knew Malfoy and Neville's relationship... it was probably not the best to send them into the forest alone together, but she didn't argue. At least Neville could send up sparks and let them know if he was in trouble; something that seemed to happen when he was around Malfoy. A little further into the forest she, Harry, and Hagrid came across another small pool of silver-blue blood on the ground. Hagrid looked worried.

" _Could_ a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked him.

"Not fast enough. It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before." Hagrid said. Hermione didn't like how he sounded. It must be something very powerful and probably full of Dark Magic that was going after them. The path that they followed had spots of blood on it and soon Hermione could hear the sounds of a brook or stream close by. She must have had a worried look on her face, because Hagrid was gentle when he spoke to her next.

"You all right, Hermione? Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter - GET BEHIND THAT TREE!" Hagrid raised his voice and grabbed both Harry and Hermione, dragging them behind a towering oak by the path. He readied his crossbow and the three remained silent as he held the weapon ready to fire. There was something slithering across the ground not too far from where they stood; it almost sounded like a cloak running across the ground, but none of them had worn their cloaks out that night.

"I knew it," Hagrid said quietly, lowering the crossbow. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"A werewolf?" Harry asked.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither. Right, follow me, but careful, now."

The three set off again, listening hard for any weird noises. It was silent until a few moments later, when something moved up ahead. Hermione's heart skipped a beat.

"Who's there? Show yourself - I'm armed!" Hagrid's voice carried through the trees and sounded quite menacing. Hermione gasped as she saw what entered their path.

It was a centaur. She had read about them, but had never seen one in person. This one had red hair and a red beard with a chestnut body and reddish tail. She couldn't believe centaurs lived in the forest!

"Oh, it's you, Ronan. How are yeh?" Hagrid lowered the crossbow and walked forward to shake his hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid." He sounded quite sad to Hermione, but didn't look it; his face was thoughtful. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan. There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."

It took Hermione a second to find her voice. "We'd noticed," she said, sounding faint even to her own ears.

"Good evening," Ronan addressed she and Harry. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm - " said Harry.

"A bit," Hermione said, still sounding quiet.

"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan paused and looked up at the night sky, barely visible between the tall trees. "Mars is bright tonight."

"Yeah," Hagrid glanced up but didn't sound too interested. "Listen, I'm glad we ran inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt - you seen anythin'?"

Ronan continued to stare at the sky; Hermione noticed that he didn't need to blink very often. "Always the innocent are the first victims. So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah... but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?" Hermione noticed that Hagrid sounded a bit irked.

"Mars is bright tonight. Unusually bright."

Hermione noticed Hagrid growing impatient. "Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home."

This time, Ronan took his time answering. "The forest hides many secrets."

Hermione thought he was being quite unhelpful. Whether deliberately or not, she wasn't sure. Then there was movement in the trees behind the centaur, and Hagrid raised his bow once more. Out stepped a black-haired and bodied second centaur, looking wilder than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," Hagrid grunted. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid. I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured - would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane did not answer right away. Instead, he walked over to where Ronan stood and looked skyward. Hermione guessed what he was going to say before the words left his mouth.

"Mars is bright tonight."

"We've heard," Hagrid now sounded annoyed. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Hermione followed Hagrid, staring at the two centaurs as they left the clearing. They were both looking skyward still, presumably thinking about how bright Mars was. Hermione wondered if they always talked about astrological occurrences.

"Never try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

So Hermione was right. They did talk about astrology a lot. "Are there many of _them_ in here?" she asked Hagrid.

"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if I ever want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" Harry asked. Hermione didn't think it was - they hadn't heard hooves, but more of a swooshing.

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns - never heard anythin' like it before."

The fact that Hagrid had never heard that sound before put Hermione slightly on edge. He was very used to this forest, and that meant that there was something in here that shouldn't be. And if it was killing unicorns, one of the purest magical creatures on earth, then it would have no second thoughts about killing them all if it got the chance. She also felt like they were being watched, which did not help her feel any better. All of a sudden, Hermione saw a shower of red burst up ahead of them. She grabbed Hagrid's arm.

"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!" She wondered if it was something that Malfoy had done to scare Neville, which, in all fairness, would not be that hard to do.

"You two wait here! Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!" Hagrid crashed away through the trees and growth towards where the sparks had been. Hermione didn't think she could have moved even if her life depended on it. She and Harry looked at each other.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" She asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville... it's our fault he's here in the first place."

They waited for what seemed to be an eternity before more crashing alerted them to Hagrid's return. He, Neville, Fang, and Malfoy were all okay, but Hagrid seemed furious. Apparently, Malfoy had snuck up on Neville and grabbed him as a joke, making Neville jump and send up the red sparks that Hermione had spotted.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups - Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot." Although Hermione knew Harry wasn't thrilled, she agreed with Hagrid when he whispered to them that he would be less of an easy scare. Hermione felt bad for Harry, though, as she watched him walk away with the annoying blond boy and Fang.

She, Hagrid, and Neville walked for what seemed like ages, none of them speaking but all of them listening and looking hard for any signs of the unicorn. Hermione's mind began to wander back to the centaurs and what they were saying about Mars being "unusually bright."

 _I wonder if that has anything to do with the odd things that have been happening_ , she thought to herself as they went deeper and deeper into the forest. They didn't turn up any evidence of the unicorn or of whatever had injured it and Hagrid had just suggested they go back and find Harry and Malfoy when -

"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Though none of them knew who had screamed, it still made Hermione's blood freeze. She, Hagrid, and Neville took off towards the sound, not knowing what they would find when they located the source. Hermione was in the lead, tearing through the brush until she came across Malfoy and Fang, Malfoy with a pink face and winded and Fang at his heels.

"Where's Harry?" she demanded of him.

"I - don't - know," Malfoy panted. He didn't offer her any further information. Hermione continued running, hearing Hagrid behind her along with Neville. She soon came upon a centaur that was talking to Harry, who was on his back. Her heart skipped at beat and she smiled; thank god he was safe!

"Harry! Harry, are you all right?" she said as she came up to him, panting. Hagrid was right behind her.

"I'm fine," Harry answered her. He then turned to Hagrid. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid. It's in the clearing back there."

Hermione's heart sank. She didn't even realize through her fears of being killed that she had been hoping to find it alive and maybe to nurse it back to health. She didn't want to see it and stayed with Harry as Hagrid hurried along to see where the unicorn was. As Harry slid off, Hermione noticed that he looked quite shaken and she was glad the night was almost over.

"Good luck, Harry Potter," the centaur said. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

The centaur left them, Harry shivering and Hermione thinking about what he meant and hoping that whatever was in the forest wasn't as bad as everyone thought it was.

...

When Hermione and Harry had made it back to the Gryffindor common room, they found Ron, who had fallen asleep waiting for them. When he was shaken awake, he yelled out something that Hermione didn't quite catch about Quidditch fowls and then the two of them sat down, eyes wide as they listened to Harry explain what had happened in the forest. Harry didn't sit down with them, however. He paced back and forth, still shaking slightly as he spoke.

"Snape wants the Stone for Vodemort... and Voldemort's hiding in the forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich..." he said. Hermione's head was reeling with all this information and ideas.

"Stop saying the name!" Ron said, flinching every time he heard it. But Harry continued as if he hadn't heard him.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so... Bane was furious... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen... They must show that Voldemort's coming back... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me... I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Voldemort, here? In the Forbidden Forest, nonetheless? How did nobody know? Especially Dumbledore?

" _Will you stop saying the name_!" Ron hissed angrily. Harry still ignored him.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone, then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

After she heard this, Hermione spoke up. "Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

The three continued talking until the light began to shine on the castle and grounds, finally calling it a night and going to bed. Although Hermione was worried about Harry, especially because of what he had seen in the forest, she fell asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow, exhausted from the day and their detention and hoping that the centaurs were wrong.


	8. Exams

Chapter 8: _Exams_  
Words: 2,482  
Total Words: 29,139

Exams were upon them at last. Hermione somehow managed to push her worries about Harry and You-Know-Who to the back of her mind, which was easier than she thought it would be. All the teachers were pressing their students harder than ever. They were given special quills for their written exams that had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating Spell (not that Hermione would have ever even thought to cheat!)

On top of their written exams, the students were set practical ones as well. Hermione had to make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk, turn a mouse into a tissue box, and brew a Forgetfulness Potion. Their last exam was for History of Magic, and Hermione frowned slightly when Professor Binns announced they could turn in their papers and the entire class cheered. She wasn't glad exams were over; this meant the school year was almost finished and she would have to go back to the Muggle world for the whole summer. She loved her mum and dad but would miss Hogwarts badly.

After they had finished their History of Magic written exam, Hermione couldn't stop herself from talking about it with Harry and Ron.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," she said, "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

Going over the exams made her feel much better, but it didn't seem to ease Ron or Harry's minds. Ron said she was making him feel ill, so the three went outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, sit under a tree, and watch the giant squid; Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins were tickling its tentacles and Hermione, Harry, and Ron were laughing.

"No more studying," Ron said as he stretched out on the grass. This didn't exactly make Hermione feel better; she liked learning about the magical world. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Hermione looked over at Harry. He did look worried, and he was rubbing his forehead.

"I wish I knew what this _means_!" He burst out suddenly. "My scar keeps hurting - it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested at once.

"I'm not ill. I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming..."

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down." Ron sounded very casual. Perhaps it was the fact that exams were over and the weather was beautiful that had him in such a good mood.

Harry tried to explain that he still felt like he had forgotten to do something, but Hermione answered him right away.

"That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."

Hermione turned back to the lake and saw an owl fly by. She smiled. Today was so peaceful. She jumped when Harry suddenly got to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Ron sounded like he was seconds from falling asleep.

"I've just thought of something. We've got to go see Hagrid, now." He was scaring Hermione a bit - his face had gone paper white and he sounded strained.

"Why?" Hermione got to her feet too, hurrying to keep up with Harry, who had taken off across the grounds and towards Hagrid's hut.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

Hermione thought she knew where Harry was going with this, but didn't answer Ron when he asked what Harry was talking about. When they finally reached Hagrid's, he was sitting outside in an armchair and shelling peas into a large bowl.

"Hullo," he smiled at them as they approached. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," Ron answered, but Harry waved his hand to cut Ron off.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno, he wouldn't take his cloak off." When Harry, Ron, and Hermione raised their eyebrows at him, he looked stunned. Hermione didn't know how he could accept something like a dragon's egg from someone that he couldn't even see.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head - that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

Hermione didn't realize she was holding her breath until she exhaled heavily. Harry sat down next to the bowl of peas. _Hagrid is far too trusting..._ she couldn't help herself from thinking. Harry spoke up again.

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," Hagrid paused on his pea shelling to try and remember his conversation. "Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

Hermione's heart sank. So he _had_ mentioned Fluffy, specifically.

"And did he - did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, sounding like he was trying to stay calm.

"Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight ter sleep - " Hagrid stopped and looked shocked and angry at himself. "I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it! Hey - where yeh goin'?"

The trio had taken off back towards the castle. None of them said anything until they reached the entrance hall.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," Harry said, sounding slightly out of breath. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under the cloak - it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

None of them knew; they had never been invited, nor had they seen it in passing. Dumbledore seemed to stay relatively out of the way during the school year.

"We just have to - " Harry started, but was interrupted by a sharp voice.

"What are you three doing inside?" It was Professor McGonagall. She had a large pile of books in her arms.

Hermione spoke up. "We want to see Professor Dumbledore."

"See Professor Dumbledore? Why?"

"It's sort of a secret," Harry said, choosing his words carefully. Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared n suspicion. Hermione bit her lip.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," Professor McGonagall answered. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's _gone_?" Harry's tone mirrored Hermione's fear. " _Now_?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time - "

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

"Look, Professor - it's about the Philosopher's Stone - "

Hermione let out a tiny squeal as the books in Professor McGonagall's arms came tumbling to the floor. Clearly, she wasn't prepared to hear that.

"How do you know - " she sounded shocked.

"Professor, I think - I _know_ \- that Sn - that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said, suspicion clear in her eyes. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor - " Harry began to protest. McGonagall wouldn't have it.

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she bent over to pick up the books that had fallen from her arms. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

Hermione trusted Professor McGonagall, but couldn't bring herself to forget about the Stone. Not now, that they had discovered that someone now knew how to get past Fluffy.

"It's tonight," Harry said, waiting until Professor McGonagall was safely out of earshot before speaking to Ron and Hermione. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore shows up."

"But what can we - "

Hermione went white and gasped. Snape was standing right behind them, looking rather smug.

"Good afternoon."

Neither Harry, Ron, nor Hermione answered him.

"You shouldn't be outside on a day like this," he said silkily. Hermione did not like the way his smile looked.

"We were - " Harry began, but he never finished. Hermione wondered what he would even say.

"You want to be more careful. Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

The three of them began to walk away, back towards the grounds, when Snape called them back.

"Be warned, Potter - any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

 _Does he know more than he's letting on?_ Hermione wondered anxiously as they went back outside. They really didn't have a choice to go anywhere else but the grounds after their encounter with Snape. _I hope he didn't overhear what Harry was saying..._

"Right, here's what we've got to do," Harry said once they were alone again. "One of us has to keep an eye on Snape - wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."

This took Hermione by surprise. "Why me?"

"It's obvious," Ron chimed in, "you can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know. 'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen _b_ wrong...'"

"Oh, shut up," she said, but eventually agreed to be the lookout. Ron's imitation of her left her flattered and slightly annoyed at the same time.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry continued. "Come on."

Hermione made her way to the staff room and waited outside for several minutes. Nothing eventful happened, and she wondered how Harry and Ron were fairing and if they had made it to Fluffy's door without being caught. Suddenly, Snape came out.

"What are you doing here, Miss Granger?" His voice sounded dangerously soft.

"I'm, uh - waiting for Professor Flitwick," she stammered, hoping he would leave and she could get away safely.

"I see. Well, let me go fetch him," Snape said, turning back and going back into the staff room. Hermione panicked and ran away, back towards Gryffindor Tower. She couldn't believe the plan had gone so badly. Hopefully Harry and Ron had done better. When she reached the Fat Lady and gave her the password, she climbed through the portrait hole only to find Harry and Ron sitting there.

"I'm sorry, Harry! Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said. He sounded like he had just made a decision. His face had gone pale and his eyes were brighter than usual. Hermione wasn't sure what he was thinking, nor was she sure she was going to like it. "I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

She was right; she didn't like it.

"You're mad!" Ron said loudly.

"You can't! After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!" Hermione's voice shook slightly.

"SO WHAT? Don't you understand? If Snape gets ahold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?" Harry finished, breathing heavily and glaring at Ron and Hermione.

"You're right, Harry," Hermione's voice sounded small, even to her own ears. But she didn't want Harry to do this alone.

"I'll use the invisibility cloak. It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all three of us?" Ron asked. Hermione had been wondering the same thing.

"All - all three of us?"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"

"Of course not. How do you think you'd get the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful..." Hermione began to imagine what kinds of things they would need to know to get past all the teachers' spells.

"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it," Hermione said at once. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."


	9. Down the Trapdoor

Chapter 9: _Down the Trapdoor_  
Words: 4,329  
Total Words: 33,468

After dinner, at which Hermione did not eat very much due to her nerves, she stayed in the Gryffindor common room, skimming through her notes to try and think about what they might need to know to break the enchantments they would face that night. None of the other Gryffindors were speaking to her or Harry, still because of all the points they had lost, but she was so buried in her own thoughts that she didn't much care. She, Ron, and Harry didn't even say much to each other; they were all nervous about what they were going to try and do tonight. Slowly, the common room emptied as the rest of the Gryffindors went to bed.

"Better get the cloak," Ron finally said as Lee Jordan went to bed. He and Hermione waited in the common room as Harry ran upstairs to grab it and then came back down to them.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us - if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own - "

"What are you doing?" came a voice from the other side of the room. They hadn't realized that Neville was still awake and in the common room. Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Before she could try to explain, Harry hid the cloak behind his back and addressed Neville.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing."

Something about their guilty faces made Neville realize something was up.

"You're going out again."

"No, no, no," Hermione said, trying to sound convincing. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out," Neville insisted. "You'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand, this is important." Harry said, but Neville wasn't listening. He seemed to be getting ready to do something important... like maybe try and fight them. Hermione began to fret.

"I won't let you do it," Neville hurried over to the portrait hole, blocking their path. "I'll fight you!"

" _Neville_ ," Ron chimed in, sounding irritated, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot - "

"Don't you call me an idiot!" Neville retorted, his face reddening slightly. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

Normally, Hermione would have taken Neville's side, but tonight they really did have important things to do and Neville was just slowing them down.

"Yes, but not to _us_ ," Ron was exasperated now. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

Ron took a step towards Neville, who dropped Trevor the toad and raised his fists. Hermione was trying to think of a way to stop this nonsense without hurting Neville; she couldn't believe that he was trying to stop them. But, then again, he had no idea what they were about to do.

"Go on then, try and hit me! I'm ready!"

" _Do something_ ," Harry said, turning to Hermione. In that moment, she had an idea and stepped forward towards Neville.

"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this," she said, raising her wand and pointing it at the red-faced boy in front of them. " _Petrificus Totalus_!"

Neville's body went rigid and his arms and legs snapped together. He fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. Hermione ran over to him and turned him over. His jaws were closed tightly, but his eyes were still moving. He looked scared. Hermione felt a pang of sadness; she wished it hadn't come to that, but they needed to get out of Gryffindor Tower. Harry then spoke from behind her.

"What've you done to him?"

"It's the Full Body-Bind. Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," Harry said, coming to stand next to he and Hermione.

"You'll understand later, Neville," Ron said as the three of them stepped over his unmoving body and put the invisibility cloak on.

They had to walk carefully through the corridors, making sure none of their feet were showing and that none of them made any noise. It was critical that they get through to Fluffy's door unnoticed and uninterrupted. Hermione wondered if Snape had made it through all of the protective enchantments yet; were they already running out of time?

They ran into Mrs. Norris at the top of a set of stairs. Hermione didn't think it was a good omen, but said nothing.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron moaned, but Harry just shook his head. Hermione was glad he did; they had important things to do and kicking the cat would probably raise hell. They had a clear path all the way until they reached the final staircase up to the third floor - it was Peeves, loosening the carpet in hopes of making the students trip.

"Who's there?" he called out; Hermione's nerves were beginning to fray. What if Peeves raised the alarm? They would have no defense! And how did he know they were there at all? "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you a ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie? Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

Hermione was surprised he couldn't hear her heartbeat, it was ramming against her ribcage. What were they going to do to get out of this one? Suddenly, Harry spoke, but his voice was hoarse and very unlike his normal one.

"Peeves," he said, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

 _Harry, you're a genius!_ Hermione thought to herself, but not daring to tell him. Peeves almost fell out of the air; clearly, he wasn't expecting to hear that.

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, sir. My mistake, my mistake - I didn't see you - of course I didn't, you're invisible - forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves. Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," Peeves rose higher into the air. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."

And he hurried away. Hermione felt positively faint with relief.

" _Brilliant_ , Harry!" Ron whispered to him. Seconds later, they were outside the third-floor corridor that was out-of-bounds... and the door was already open slightly.

"Well, there you are," Harry said. He didn't sound surprised. "Snape's already got past Fluffy."

Hermione's heart began to beat hard and fast again; somehow, the door being open was really forcing her to understand what awaited them and what they were going to be facing. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," Ron answered.

"We're coming," Hermione seconded. There was no way she would let Harry venture into this dangerous unknown alone. She was also glad that Ron was on the same page. It felt complete when they were all together... kind of like they could actually make it through whatever they were about to face. Harry pushed the door open, but no loud barks met their ears. Instead, there was loud sniffling, as if the dogs were trying to smell them, even though it couldn't see them. As they entered the room, there was something glittering on the floor.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione said, unable to make the shape out.

"Looks like a harp. Snape must've left it there," Ron said.

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," Harry said. "Well, here goes..."

He put a wooden flute to his lips (it was a Christmas gift from Hagrid, he had told Ron and Hermione after he had gotten it) and began to play. As soon as the first note reverberated around the room, the dog's eyes got droopy and he began to fall asleep. Soon, the dog stopped growling and slumped to the floor, finally asleep.

"Keep playing," Ron said as they took the cloak off and quietly made their way to the trapdoor. Hermione felt a shiver run through her as they felt the dog's hot breath on their skin when they got closer. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open. Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"All right," Ron gritted his teeth and stepped over one of the dog's huge paws. He pulled the ring to the trapdoor, which opened easily.

"What can you see?" Hermione asked, feeling more anxious than ever.

"Nothing - just black - there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

Hermione didn't like what she was hearing. She noticed Harry waving to Ron and then pointing to himself - he wanted to go first.

"You want to go first? Are you sure? I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."

Harry handed Hermione the flute and she began to play a rather clumsy tune, but it still kept Fluffy asleep. She listened and watched as Harry climbed over the dog's paws and met Ron. He lowered himself down and, before he let go, said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," Ron answered. Hermione continued to play, though her heart was beating very fast now. What was waiting for them down that trapdoor?

"See you in a minute, I hope..." Harry said, letting go. Hermione almost stopped playing but caught herself just in time. She needed to keep Fluffy asleep, no matter what happened next. She waited to hear something - anything -

"It's okay! It's a soft landing, you can jump!" Harry's voice sounded very small and rather far away. Ron jumped after him and he must have landed because Hermione didn't hear anything to say he wasn't okay.

"Come on, Hermione!" Harry's voice again. She stopped playing the flute a second before she jumped and heard Fluffy bark on her way down, glad she had kept playing while she made her way to the trapdoor where Harry and Ron had disappeared down.

"We must me miles under the school," she said after she had landed, taking a look around. She immediately recognized what they had landed in and, struggling slightly, managed to fre herself from the tendrils that were trying to wrap themselves around her and had already started on both Harry and Ron.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," Ron said.

" _Lucky_!" She cried. "Look at you both!"

The plant had been sneaky enough to get a decent grip on the two boys and all Hermione could do was watch in horror as they fought and began to lose the battle against it.

"Stop moving! I know what this is - it's Devil's Snare!" Hermione said, twisting her hands together.

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," Ron said sarcastically as he moved back, trying to keep the plant from winding around his neck. Hermione's brain began to work very fast, trying to remember her Herbology lessons.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say? - it likes the dark and the damp - "

"So light a fire!" Harry's voice was slightly choked, as the plant had started on his neck.

"Yes - of course - but there's no wood!" Hermione said, wringing her hands even more tightly and almost losing her head completely.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron yelled at her. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

 _I forgot about my wand!_ Hermione thought, grabbing it immediately. "Oh, right!" She muttered an incantation and blue flames shot at the plant, which loosened its grip and let Harry and Ron go.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," Harry panted as he and Ron got themselves free.

"Yeah, and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - 'there's no wood,' _honestly_." Ron's face was rather pink.

"This way," Harry said before Hermione could retort.

He led them down a stone passageway; the only way forward. There was no noise except for water trickling off the walls, and it gave Hermione a sense of foreboding. She didn't like what they had met already - what could possibly be waiting for them next?

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered suddenly.

The three of them stopped to listen; there seemed to be a soft rustling and clinking coming from somewhere ahead. Hermione had never heard anything like it.

"Do you think it's a ghost?"

"I don't know... sounds like wings to me."

"There's light ahead - I can see something moving."

Finally, they reached the end of the passageway and came before a large, brightly lit chamber. The ceiling was arched high above them and it was full of small, very bright birds fluttering about the room. There was a large, heavy-looking door at the other side of the room.

 _What on earth..._ Hermione thought.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" Ron asked.

"Probably. They don't look very visious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... well, there's no other choice... I'll run," Harry answered. He ran across the room, but the birds didn't attack. After he reached the door, Hermione and Ron followed him. It was locked. Hermione pulled out her wand.

" _Alohamora!_ " She cried. Nothing happened.

"Now what?" Ron asked. Hermione looked up, examining the birds.

"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," she said. Were they... glittering?

"They're not birds!" Harry burst out, making Hermione jump slightly. "They're _keys_! Winged keys - look carefully. So that must mean... yes - look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are _hundreds_ of them!"

Ron examined the lock on the door for a moment before speaking.

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one - probably silver, like the handle."

They each grabbed a broomstick, mounted it, and took off, looking for the key that would fit. Hermione was very nervous about this, as flying still was not her strong suit. Every key that she grabbed failed to match the one that Ron said they would be looking for, and she was starting to get anxious. They didn't exactly have time on their side; Snape could have the Stone right now! Suddenly, Harry called out.

"That one! That big one - there - no, there - with the bright blue wings - the feathers are all crumpled on one side."

Hermione saw the one he was talking about, but Ron was already speeding towards it. With a mighty crash, he hit the ceiling and nearly fell off his broom.

"We've got to close in on it! Ron, you come at it from above - Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down - and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

Hermione turned upwards at the key; it dodged her and Ron, speeding towards the wall. Harry went after it and pinned it with a rather sickening crunch. Hermione, though she felt bad for the key, cheered Harry on.

"Ready?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione once they had landed and were at the door. They both nodded. Harry put the key in and pulled the door open. After they stepped through, light filtered into the room to reveal what was in it.

It was a life-sized chessboard. But the chessmen were much taller than the three of them and were made of what looked like black and white stone. Hermione looked closer and saw that none of them had faces.

"Now what do we do?" Harry asked.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Ron responded. He was the best chess player of the three of them, presumably from playing against his brothers all these years. "We've got to play our way across the room."

Hermione wasn't quite sure she liked the sound of that. She looked across and saw the door, closed and a bit of a ways behind the white pieces. Ron was right.

"How?" she said anxiously.

"I think we're going to have to be chessmen," Ron said. He sounded a little nervous as he walked up to a knight and reached out to touch its horse. At once, it sprang to life; the horse pawed at the ground and the knight turned its helmeted head towards Ron. "Do we - er - have to join you to get across?"

The knight nodded and Ron turned towards Harry and Hermione.

"This needs thinking about... I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces..."

Harry and Hermione were quiet while Ron mulled things over. Hermione was now quite anxious. These pieces were not only big enough to kill them, but they didn't have any reasoning capabilities, so they would probably have to win the game in order to make it through alive. She was glad at that point that they had Ron with them. He really was an excellent chess player, and their only hope of making it across.

"Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess - "

"We're not offended," Harry said while Hermione nodded in agreement. "Just tell us what to do."

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you'll go next to him instead of that castle."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to be a knight."

The chessmen must have been listening, because as soon as Ron had finished speaking, a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned and left the board, leaving three blank spaces for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to fill. Hermione took her spot tentatively, hoping for the best and glad Ron had taken charge.

"White always plays first in chess... yes... look..."

A white pawn moved forward two squares. Ron began to direct the black pieces and Hermione couldn't help but be in awe of how good he was.

"Harry - move diagonally four squares to the right." Ron commanded. The game seemed to be going well.

Hermione almost screamed when the other knight was taken - the white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board. What if that had been one of them? Hermione didn't think they could survive something like that.

"Had to let that happen," Ron said, sounding confident but looking quite shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

Twice, Ron just barely noticed that she or Harry were about to be in trouble and saved them, and every time they lost a piece, the white players would drag the limp black ones off the board. Hermione was getting more anxious as the game went on. Would they be able to make it out alive? She was thankful that they had made it this far.

"We're nearly there," Ron said suddenly. "Let me think - let me think - "

The white queen turned to face him.

"Yes... it's the only way... I've got to be taken."

"NO!" Both Harry and Hermione cried.

"That's chess. You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me - that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

Hermione was in shock at what Ron was saying. How could he let himself get hurt like that? The white pieces had shown no mercy, and she didn't want Ron to be killed trying to stop Snape.

"But - " Harry began.

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?" Ron retorted.

"Ron - "

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

Ron was right, it was the only way. Hermione choked on the lump in her throat as she braced herself for what might happen to Ron.

"Ready?" Ron's face was pale, but the glint in his eyes showed his determination. "Here I go - now, don't hang around once you've won."

The white queen pounced on him as soon as he stepped forward. She hit Ron in the head hard with her arm and Hermione screamed, wanting to move but frozen - they were still playing the game. The queen dragged Ron to the side; he looked unconscious, but alive. Harry then moved three spaces to the left and the white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had won. The white chessmen parted and bowed, letting both Harry and Hermione through. Harry and Hermione ran through the door and up the passageway.

"What if he's - " Hermione began, knitting her eyebrows together.

"He'll be all right," Harry sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as Hermione. "What do you reckon's next?"

"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must have put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's..."

There was a door in their path.

"All right?" Harry asked in a quiet voice.

"Go on."

Harry pushed the door open. Immediately, Hermione wrinkled her nose; there was quite the disgusting smell that met them. They saw through the tears in their eyes they saw a troll rather like the one they had dealt with on Halloween but larger lying flat on the floor, a lump on its head. It was unconscious.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry said quietly as they stepped over its legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."

The next door opened easily and Hermione wondered what was coming next, but there was just a small table with seven different bottles on top of it in a straight line.

"Snape's," Harry said. "What do we have to do?"

As soon as they stepped over the threshold, two fires sprang up; one behind them, which was purple; the other in front, and was black. They were trapped here.

"Look!" Hermione grabbed a piece of parchment that was lying next to the bottles. It read:

 _Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,  
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,  
One among us seven will let you move ahead,  
Another will transport the drinker back instead,  
Two among our number hold only nettle wine,  
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.  
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,  
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:  
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide  
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;  
Second, different are those who stand at either end,  
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;  
Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,  
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;  
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right  
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Hermione realized what this was at once. It was a puzzle! She had always enjoyed them and was excited that Snape had chosen to test brains over brawn with his enchantment.

" _Brilliant_ ," she said. "This isn't magic - it's logic - a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

"But so will we, won't we?"

"Of course not," Hermione answered. She just needed a moment to think... "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which to drink?"

"Give me a minute."

Hermione read over the paper a few more times and then walked around the table, muttering to herself. Finally, she figured it out and clapped her hands.

"Got it. The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire - towards the Stone."

"There's only enough there for one of us," Harry said. "That's hardly one swallow."

They looked at each other.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"

Hermione pointed at a round bottle at the right end of the table. It, too, was only big enough for one person.

"You drink that - " Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but Harry cut her off, " - no, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy - go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."

"But Harry - what if You-Know-Who's with him?"

"Well - I was lucky once, wasn't I?" Harry pointed at his scar. "I might get lucky again."

For a second, Hermione thought she might cry out of fear and admiration, but she rushed at him instead and gave him a huge hug.

" _Hermione_!"

"Harry - you're a great wizard, you know."

"I'm not as good as you," Harry said. Hermione saw that his face was rather red.

"Me! Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and - oh Harry - be _careful_!"

"You drink first. You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Positive," Hermione answered, finally getting a grip on her emotions. She couldn't bear the thought of Harry possibly coming face-to-face with You-Know-Who again, but she didn't have a choice but to let him go on alone. There wasn't even enough potion to share. She picked up the round bottle and drank from it. It was like ice going down her throat and she shuddered.

"It's not poison?"

"No - but it's like ice."

"Quick, go, before it wears off."

"Good luck - take care - "

"GO!"

Hermione turned, took a deep breath, and walked straight through the purple fire, expecting to feel it burn but only warmly licking her sides as she went.


	10. The House Cup

Chapter 10: _The_ _House Cup_  
Words: 2,221  
Total Words: 35,689

Hermione made her way back through the troll's room (thank god it was still unconscious) and to where Ron still lay, now semi-conscious and beginning to stir. She knelt down next to him and gently tapped his face. His eyes opened, though they took a minute to focus on her.

"Where's... Harry?" Ron's voice was weak.

"He went on to stop Snape. We have to get an owl to Dumbledore," Hermione said urgently, helping Ron stand and putting his arm over her shoulder. They made their way back to the key room and grabbed brooms to ride past the Devil's Snare and up Fluffy's trapdoor. Once they had made it past Fluffy (they had flown and landed by the door, which Hermione had immediately wrenched open for a quick escape), they raced towards the owlery, but ran into Dumbledore instead.

"Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?" Dumbledore said. Hermione only had time to nod breathlessly before he was rushing up to the third-floor corridor and out of sight.

Right now, Dumbledore was their only hope.

...

The next day, after Ron and Hermione had discovered that Dumbledore was back, they ran to the hospital wing to see if Harry was doing okay. Madam Pomfrey refused to let them see him, telling them he was getting some much-needed rest and the headmaster was going to visit later.

At dinner that night, Hermione couldn't help but notice that Dumbledore was looking a little paler than usual; he must have been worried about Harry and what had happened beneath the third-floor corridor. Hermione and Ron spent the rest of the evening speculating what had happened with Snape and Harry down wherever they had ended up - both of them were very glad that Harry had made it out alive and that Dumbledore was back.

...

"Oh, very well. But five minutes _only_ ," Hermione heard Madam Pomfrey say. She and Ron were back by the hospital wing and had gotten there just in time - Harry was not only awake, but asking for them.

" _Harry_!" Hermione cried as they were let in. She thought about giving him a hug again, but held herself back, as Harry looked very sore and tired still. "Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to - Dumbledore was so worried - "

"The whole school's talking about it. What _really_ happened?" Ron asked. They sat down next to Harry's bed and listened as he filled them in.

It hadn't been Snape after all, but Quirrell, the very teacher they had wanted to protect. Harry told them about how the Mirror of Erised had been there, and how he saw himself holding the Stone and then it was in his pocket (Hermione couldn't believe Dumbledore had made something so clever) and how Quirrell's turban was just a cover for Voldemort. When he said that, Hermione actually screamed. She had been right, he had been there! The story went on for quite a while, and Hermione was speechless after Harry had finished.

"So the Stone's gone? Flamel's just going to _die_?" Ron finally said.

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that - what was it? - 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"

"I always said he was off his rocker," Ron said, but he looked quite impressed.

"So what happened to you two?" Harry asked them.

"Well, I got back all right. I brought Ron round - that took a while - and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall - he already knew - he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor." Hermione explained, shaking her head. She was still surprised that Dumbledore had somehow known, but at the same time it made sense. He really was one of the greatest wizards of their time.

"D'you think he meant to do it? Sending you your father's cloak and everything?" Ron had just finished asking the question when Hermione spoke up angrily.

" _Well_ , if he did - I mean to say - that's terrible - you could have been killed."

"No, it isn't," Harry said after a moment of silence. He seemed to be choosing his words rather carefully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could..."

"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," Ron said. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course - you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrolled by Ravenclaw without you - but the food'll be good."

Before Harry could answer, Madam Pomfrey hurried out, bristling slightly.

"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT," she said, ushering Ron and Hermione out of the hospital wing.

...

Hermione was very glad to see Harry come down to the feast, scooting over so he could sit next to her and Ron. The entire hall went quiet for a moment and then began talking loudly as Harry made his way over to his friends. The hall was decorated with the Slytherin colors of green and silver and Hermione was going to be glad when the feast was over so she wouldn't have to endure the Slytherins all bragging about how they had won the House Cup again.

Dumbledore stood up and the talking died away instantly.

"Another year gone!" He said, smiling. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts..."

Hermione smiled, but knew she would be spending the summer studying and making sure she not only remembered everything, but hopefully she'd be able to get a leg up for her second year.

"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six, and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

A large amount of cheering broke out at the Slytherin table. Hermione frowned.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," Dumbledore said. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

 _What is he talking about?_ Hermione thought. _He's not going to deduct_ more _points from Gryffindor, is he?_

The hall was silent, waiting for Dumbledore to elaborate.

"Ahem. I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes..." he paused. "First - to Mr. Ronald Weasley... for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Ron was rather purple in the face; it clashed horribly with his hair. The Gryffindors cheered and applauded loudly, the sound reverberating around the hall. Even Percy the Prefect was saying excitedly, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

Finally, the Gryffindors quieted down enough for Dumbledore to continue.

"Second - to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione immediately went pink and buried her face in her arms to hide the fact that she had burst into tears. She couldn't believe Dumbledore had recognized her! The table once again burst into cheers and applause.

"Third - to Mr. Harry Potter..." the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

It sounded like the Gryffindor table had exploded; everyone was cheering, whooping, and making an incredible noise. Hermione did some quick adding in her head and found that Gryffindor and Slytherin were now tied - they each had four hundred and seventy-two points! But could Houses tie for the cup? Hermione was just thinking about tying when Dumbledore raised his hand and the hall fell silent once more.

"There are all kinds of courage," he said. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all stood up with the rest of the Gryffindors as they yelled, banged the table, and hooted. They had won the House Cup! Hermione couldn't believe it; it was like they had never lost the points to begin with! The celebration went on for a few moments before Dumbledore was able to sort of regain control.

"Which means," the headmaster called over the still-clapping Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws (they had cheered too; they were all glad to see Slytherin lose), "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands and the silver-and-green hangings that had been around the hall turned to scarlet and gold. The huge Slytherin snake disappeared and the Gryffindor lion took its place; in Hermione's eyes, the whole hall seemed to cheer up immediately with the bright color change. It was the best night Hermione'd had at Hogwarts, hands down.

...

With all the excitement in the last couple of weeks, Hermione had almost forgotten that they still had to get their exam grades back. She couldn't help but be nervous, and was immensely relieved when she had not only passed, but gotten the best grades of all the first-years. She was also glad that both Harry and Ron had managed to pass; all of them were moving on to their second year!

It hurt as Hermione packed her trunk and began to say her good-byes to the teachers, castle, and grounds. She couldn't believe the year had gone so fast and that she wouldn't be back for a couple of months. She almost wished she could stay at Hogwarts, but part of her was going to be quite glad to see her family again. She had missed her parents and was looking forward to telling them all about her exciting first year at Hogwarts. She was not surprised, but a little disappointed, when the teachers handed out notes saying they were not to use magic outside of school ( _But I wanted to practice for next year_ ) and they were sent on their way to the Hogwarts Express.

The ride back to King's Cross was very pleasant, spent chatting and eating candies and reminiscing about the next year in store for them. Hermione was sad to take her robes off and put her Muggle clothes back on - it really was over.

"You must come and stay this summer," Ron said as they got off the train and onto the platform. "Both of you - I'll send an owl."

"Thanks," Harry replied, "I'll need something to look forward to."

People were saying good-bye all over the place, most going out of their way to say it one last time to Harry. Hermione grinned.

"Still famous," Ron said, echoing Hermione's thoughts and grinning as well.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you."

The three friends passed through the gateway together.

"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!" Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister said... but her finger was pointing at Harry, not Ron.

"Harry Potter! Look, Mom! I can see - "

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."

"Busy year?" Mrs. Weasley asked them, smiling.

"Very," Harry answered her. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh, it was nothing, dear."

"Ready, are you?" A gruff voice said curtly. It wasn't Mr. Weasley - it was Harry's Uncle Vernon. Hermione only knew this because Harry had described him to her and Ron. She could see immediately why he hated him. The man was large, with a big moustache and little neck and a rather purple face. Hermione didn't like him much either, even though she had just met him.

"You must be Harry's family!" Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully.

"In a manner of speaking. Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.

Harry didn't go with Vernon, but stayed with Ron and Hermione a moment longer.

"See you over the summer, then," he said.

"Hope you have - er - a good holiday," Hermione said. She couldn't believe someone could be such an unpleasant person, and was sorry that Harry had to spend his holidays in such miserable company.

"Oh, I will," Harry said. He was grinning. " _They_ don't know we're not allowed to do magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer..."

And, although Hermione didn't approve of it, she just smiled and said her good-byes, eventually finding her own family and heading home for her summer holidays. She couldn't wait to see Ron and Harry next year.


End file.
